warriors second generation:water's cure
by kairikat
Summary: the original clans have broken up and all cats have gone into war. But the prophecy repeats and four cats rise to make flame, snow, spirit, and waterclan. The story is from a young waterclan cat named starrykit. What secrets lie within the clans?
1. Chapter 1

"Come on open your eyes already!" I heard a cat whisper to my right. "Yeah we want to play!" I wiggled as a paw prodded me. "She's still only a moon old leave her alone you two." I heard an older cat say. It wasn't my mother's voice so I snuggled closer to the warm fur I was laying next to. Another prod to my side irritated me enough to turn and hiss at the retreating paw. "If you open your eyes and come play it will be a lot of fun" a voice squeaked. "What if I don't wanna play." I mumbled sleepily. "Oh come on we want to show you the rest of the camp!" the voice said. This got my attention. There was more than warm fur ,milk ,and a soft nest? I sat up on my hind legs and cracked my eyes opened a little bit. The bright sunlight made me close them again though. "come on you almost had it!" a voice mewed excitedly. I slowly opened my eyes so I could get used to the bright light better. As soon as I opened them all the way I saw to kits stareing at me just inches from my face. "Hey you did it!" A small white kit with big blue eyes mewed happily. "Hi there I'm flowerkit!" A tan tabby chirped. "And I'm skykit!" The white kit boasted proudly. "Um hi?" I said meekly. "Come on we'll introduce you to all the cats and show you the camp!" Skykit bounced excitedly. "Right now were in the nursery, this is were all the she cats come when they are expecting kits or when they are taking care of kits." Flowerkit explained. As she was explaing I was looking around. We were in a den with brambles covering one wall and there was two stone walls. On the wall opposite of the barricade of brambles was an opening with reeds sprouting from the ground and reaching past the roof. The roof was also made of brambles and had soft sunshine peeking through the slits of openings which lit up the nursery in a soft warm glow. "That's your mom next to you." Skykit announced. I snapped back to reality and looked at the cat laying next to me. She was so beautiful! She had long soft silver fur and a long fluffy tail. Her big green eyes were watching me as I looked at her. "Well hello there little one." she said Her eyes sparkling. Her voice was smooth like water in a stream. I couldn't help but wiggle closer resting my muzzle in her soft warm fur. "Hey you can't go to sleep yet we still have to show you the camp!" Skykit exclaimed. "I wasn't falling asleep!" I mewed defiantly. "This is our mom Thrushear." Flowerkit continued ignoring skykit. I looked and saw a young she cat with fur as dark and glossy as a raven's wing. Her eyes were looking at me with amusement as I padded over and politely mewed "hello its nice to actually see you." "These are my sisters moonkit and sparklekit." Skykit said prodding the two sleeping fluff balls. One just shifted while the other took a lazy swipe at skykit. "That's morninglily over there she expecting kits right now and over there is fernfoot her kits were born two moonrises ago." Skykit continued as he pointed to the two queens. I bowed my head politely to both of them. "She sure is polite." Fernfoot grumbled grumpily. "Shes just grouchy cause we woke her up don't let her get to you." Skykit whispered to me. "Come one there's more outside the nursery." Flowerkit said as she bounded over to the reeds. Me and skykit ran over to join her when my mother mewed "don't bother to many cats ok? And be careful!" "Got it mom bye!" I mewed over my shoulder as I pushed through the reeds. "Whoa it's even brighter out here!" I said squinting my eyes. I looked around. We were in a big clearing with cats wandering to and fro. That's the medicine cat's den over there." Flowerkit said. I followed her gaze and saw on the opposite side of the clearing was a Rock wall about a tail length wide standing upright with a slab of rock leaning diagonally against it. Some lichen that was at the top of the diagonal rock and draping down towards the ground covering the opening created by the two rocks. "Come on!" Skykit sprinted off towards the den. "Skykit slowdown!" Flowerkit shouted. I raced after him on clumsy legs. "Ow" I mewed as I did a faceplant in the dirt. "Don't worry you get use to it!" A blonde she cat chuckled as she trotted up to us. "If flowerkit and skykit are giving you tour of the camp im guessing you just opened your eyes recently." She said her eyes sparkling with humor. "Who are you?" I asked as I wiped the dirt off my face. "My name is goldensun im one of the warriors." "My name is starrykit it's nice to meet you." I said bowing my head. "Where you two off to?" Goldensun asked. "We were about to show starrykit the medicine cat den." Flowerkit explained "But then skykit ran off." I muttered. "Goldensun are you coming?" A mud colored tom asked as he trotted up to us. "Yeah I'll be right there." She replied. "Sorry guys got to go patrol water clan's borders now see you later!" And with that she trotted off with the brown tom in tow. "Come on!" Flowerkit said as she started to walk towards the medicine cats den. "Silverleaf?" Flowerkit said as she poked her head through the lichen. "In here." A gentle voice called from inside the cave-like den. I followed flowerkit as she pushed the lichen aside and walked into the den.


	2. Chapter 2

"What brings you to the medicine cat den flowerkit?" Said a white she cat as she appeared from behind a crevice in the wall of the den. "I'm showing starrykit the camp." She replied. "This is cloudpaw the medicine cat apprentice." Flowerkit explained to me. "Hi there starrykit." Cloudpaw chirped. "Starrykit?" Silverleaf asked coming out from the same crack cloudpaw came out of. "Oh so the leader's daughter has come to pay us a visit." She said looking at me. "She looks just like her mother but has her fathers eyes." Silverleaf mused. "Okay time to check out the rest of the camp." Flowerkit said as she bounced out of the den. "See you later." I said and sprinted off after flowerkit. When I appeared out of the den I saw flowerkit talking to skykit. "There you are." I said as I padded up to the siblings. "Your fault if you can't keep up!" He mewed defensively. "Please if I wasn't just out of my nest I would be faster than you anyday!" I said confidently. "Is that a challenge?" He asked. "Depends if you want to lose." I sneered my neck fur bristling. "Yes this challenging stuff is oh so exciting." Flowerkit said as she stepped between us. "But you still have to see the camp." "Oh yeah." I said letting my fur lie flat. "Over there is the warriors den." She said as she pointed to a cave opening in a stone wall that was about three tail-lengths tall next to the nursery. On the nursery's other side was another stone wall like the warriors den. But instead of a cave there was a ledge that hung out over a patch of reeds. "See behind those reeds over there that's the leader's den." Skykit said pointing at the reeds with his paw. As I looked closer I saw a cave mouth was hidden behind the reeds. "Over there between the medicine cats den and the warriors den is the apprentice den." Flowerkit trotted over to the opening of a den made completely out of brambles. I spun around looking at the dens circling the clearing. "And over there on the other side of the medicine cats den is the elders den." Sky kit said in a bored tone. I turned around behind me and saw another cave in a stone wall but this one was smaller than the warriors cave opening. "The elders sometimes tell us stories about waterclan or the other clans that happened long ago like when the clans were first made." Flowerkit said. "Yeah well I don't like sitting there and hearing the elders chit chat about old times." Sky kit said while stretching. "That's probably because you need to run all over the camp like a squirrel from sunrise to sunset." I said mockingly. "Well at least im faster than you." "Could you two please wait until we finish the tour!" Flowerkit sighed. "Why all that's left is the bramble thicket tunnel?" Skykit said pointing his tail at a wall of brambles between the high ledge and the elders den. In the middle was a tunnel just big enough to fit two full grown cats. "Readysetgo!" I shouted really quickly running towards the nursery. "HEY! That's no fair!" Skykit complained bolting after me. "Your fault you big fat old- oof! I said as I ran face-first into a wall of fur. I looked up getting ready to spit at whoever I ran into when a deep rumbling chuckled and said "Are you alright starrykit?" "skykit and flowerkit came skidding to a stop next to me. "Stripestar!" Skykit exclaimed. "Well good morning skykit" Stripestar said as he helped starrykit's fur lie flat by licking her. "Nya! Stop that it tickles!" I said as I bounded around him to evade his tongue. He chuckled. He had warm amber eyes and a pelt that shined in the sunlight. His fur was a soft brown color with darker colored stripes across his back and a white underbelly making him look like a brown tiger. "So how do you like the camp starrykit?" Stripestar asked. "It's very nice. How do you know my name?" "Because he is your father." runningstream replied as she walked over to join us. Her fur shimmered in the morning sunlight making it look like running water. "Eh?" I said looking at the broad shouldered tabby in front of me. He chuckled "yes it's nice to see you've made friends with the other kits starrykit." He said looking at skykit and flowerkit. "Yes we just finished showing her the camp!" Skykit exclaimed. "You three are as bouncy as a squirrel come now back to the nursery." "aww but I wanted to play more!" I complained. Stripestar chuckled and nudged me affectionately towards the nursery. "But Daaaad!" I complained. "No buts your father has work to do." Runningstream chided.


	3. Chapter 3

"Psst starrykit you awake?" "Hm?" I mumbled waking up from my dream. I had been stalking a mouse in the forest when that voice woke me up. I opened my eyes to see skykit looming over me. "Wa-" I said. "shush be quiet!" skykit whispered. "follow me come on!" He said giving me a quick lick between the ears to wake me up and ran through the reeds. "Hey where are you going?" I said getting up and stumbling towards the reeds after skykit. I burst through the reeds only to be grabbed by the scruff of my neck and dragged behind a bush of ferns next to the nursery opening. "What the-" "shh they are about to leave!" Skykit whispered. I looked at where his attention was directed and saw a group of cats gathering. I recognized hornfur, goldensun, littlefish, and mossnose from the warriors group. I looked over at another group of cats joining them. I saw patchpelt leading two other cats and two apprentices towards the group of cats. "See those cats?" Flowerkit said appearing beside me. "Ah!" I squeaked as my fur poofed up. "Chill you don't think im not coming along to." "Huh?" I asked confused. "Were following the group to the gathering tonight!" skykit whispered excitedly. "Shh look there's stripestar!" Flowerkit whispered. Soon enough stripestar came walking towards the front of the group of cats. With a flick of his tail stripestar lead the group of cats through the bramble tunnel and out into the forest. "Quick let's go!" Skykit said. 'I'm just being swept away.' I thought. We bolted out from our cover and ran straight into the tunnel. We saw the tails of the cats disappear behind a group of trees and followed close behind sticking to the shadows. Suddenly a bush next to me moved. "Did you guys see that?" I asked getting really creeped out. "Maybe we should just go back to camp they are too far away now." "Oh come on you wimp!" Skykit said puffing out his chest. "Scardey cat" "No it's just-" But before I could finish my sentence a strange scent caught my attention. "Shush something is here." I said backing up against them. "Hey I smell it too." Flowerkit said spinning around and facing the forest. I heard another rustle in the bushes and a sleek orange creature slid out of the shadow of a tree. "Fox!" I squeaked. My legs turned to jell-o and I could feel my blood pounding in my ears. I heard the elders and warriors talk about foxes eating cats alive and dragging their leftovers to feed their kits. "I'm scared." I heard flowerkit whisper. Skykit cowered in front of the fox shaking from nose to tail-tip. It stared at us with cold yellow eyes. It's muzzle features more terrifying from the moonlight and shadows. It stalked towards us. We huddled together as tightly as we could. Then a yowl sounded from the bush besides the fox and two shapes shot out and attacked the fox. "Dirtclaw Spidertail!" Skykit shouted. The two warriors scratched and bit the fox making it bleed in a few places. The fox hit dirtclaw in the stomach with a paw and ran off. "You mouse brains what are you doing out here it's dangerous to be out here by yourself at night!" Spidertail screeched. "Come on lets get back to camp first before that fox comes back." Dirtclaw wheezed. 'The fox must have knocked the wind out of him' I thought. Spidertail growled. "Come on your mothers are worried sick about you." He padded away in the direction of the camp. I took a tentative step forward testing my legs to see if I could walk. I bolted after him terrified of being left alone again. I looked back and saw dirt claw carrying an unconscious skykit in his mouth and flowerkit practically glued to dirtclaw's side like I was with spidertail. The smell of urine was pretty strong and every one knew skykit peed his fur. I kept looking around on high alert in case if that fox jumped out at us from behind a bush. "So what were you three doing out here?" Spidertail's voice rumbled. "We were following the group of cats going to the gathering." Flowerkit confessed with her head bowed. "We wanted to see what a gathering is like." "You could have gotten killed!" Spidertail said in a sharp voice. We both winced when he spoke and bowed our heads lower. "Were here." Dirtclaw mumbled trying not to drop skykit. I looked up and saw the opening of the bramble tunnel. As we walked through the tunnel I heard cat's voices. They sounded scared and frantic. I shot through the bramble tunnel wailing "Mom? Mom where are you! I'm scared." As soon as I reached the clearing I saw my mother and thrushear running towards me "Starrykit your safe!" She said in a relieved voice as she licked me all over. "Are you hurt? What happened? Where were you I was so worried!" "It was scary! There was a fox …and it was going t-to kill us! And skykit fainted and Dirtclaw and s-spidertail rescued us and…and- Waah!" I cried burying my face in her soft warm fur. "Don't worry your safe now little one." She cooed as she wrapped her soft fluffy tail around me. "Flowerkit Skykit!" I heard thrushear exclaim "Don't you dare do that to me again!" Before I could turn and see runningstream started to guide me back to the nursery with her tail. My paw suddenly felt like stones and I could barley keep my eyes open when I thought of crawling into a warm nest next to my mother. When we got in the den I collapsed on our nest and fell into a deep dreamless sleep. I barley remembered my mother laying down next to me and protectively wrapping her tail around my small frame. I was awoken later that night by voices outside of the nursery. I stirred when I heard the reeds being pushed aside and a cat walking in. I felt a strong muzzle rub against my cheek tenderly and ask "Are you alright starrykit?" I hummed a yes to tired to speak. The cat laid next to me trying not to disturb me. I felt it's tail brush the tip of my ear and fell asleep again. When I woke up the next morning I saw a brown pile of fur laying next to me. It rose and fell to the rythym of steady breathing. I examined it closer and saw it was my father. I sat up gingerly and looked to my other side and saw runningstream sleeping peacefully with her tail still curved around me. I yawned as the morning sunlight began lighting up the nursery in a warm glow. My father stirred and lifted his head. For a moment h didn't seem to know where he was but then saw me and realized he was in the nursery. He licked his paw and wiped the sleep from his face. "Good morning." I said not looking at him. "Good morning starrykit." "How was the gathering?" "It was alright until rockclaw ran in shouting that three of waterclans kits went missing soon after we left the camp." He replied. "I'm sorry." I said bowing my head. He stared at me seriously "If you died your mother and I would be very upset." "I know im sorry for causing everyone to worry so much." "You should thank spidertail and dirtclaw for saving your life." "Ok I'll do that right now." I said still not making eye contact. I glanced at thrushears nest and saw them all snuggled together sleeping. I got up and headed for the reeds that lead out into the camp. "Starrykit?" "Yes?" I asked turning around but not looking at him. "I tell you this because I love you and I don't want you to be so reckless." I looked at him for the first time since yesterday morning when I first met him and saw his liquid amber eyes were sincere. "Thanks dad." I said nuzzling his flank. "I'm going to tell dirtclaw and spidertail I'm sorry now," "Okay." I brushed through the ferns into the camp. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary. Cats were milling about. Two apprentices were getting some fresh kill from the fresh kill pile while the elders chatted by the tree stump outside of their den. Warriors were coming into the camp from the dawn patrol. I searched them for dirtclaw or spidertail. As soon as I recognized spidertails black coat I bolted towards him. "Uhm spidertail?" Spidertail stopped talking with one of the warriors and looked at me. "Well good morning starrykit did you sleep well last night?" He asked casually. "Well yes and good morning to you too. I'm s-sorry for the trouble I caused last night. I didn't mean to have everyone worry." I said bowing my head and shuffling my paws. "It's alright it's a warriors job to protect the clan even if they weren't doing something right plus its an honor to have protected the leaders kit." He said smiling at me. "That's good" I sighed with relief "I thought you were mad at me." "Nah spidertail is a real softie when it come to kits." The warrior he was talking to said cheerfully. I recognized her as mossnose one of the senior warriors like spidertail. "I'm not soft." He grumbled "Just a little too kind then," I turned and saw dirtclaw padding over to join us. "D-dirtclaw" I stuttered. "I-" "Apology accepted." He smiled. "Your dad told me you were looking for me to apologize." "oh" "So what mischief are you ,skykit ,and flowerkit up to today?" Mossnose asked. "Skykit and flowerkit are still sleeping but I woke up a few minutes ago so im not really doing anything." "Hey guys you want to come hunting with me?" Littlefish asked running up to us. "Sure thing." Spidertail replied. "I'll come too." Mossnose replied. "I can't me and sandpaw got some serious training to do." Dirtclaw said. "What kind of training?" I asked. "Battle skills today." He replied. "Are you training on the flat rock or bog area?" Spidertail asked. "Flatrock sandpaw isn't advanced enough to fight in bog yet." "okay see you later starrykit." Mossnose mewed. The three cats walked away. I watched them disappear one by one into the bramble tunnel. "Well it's time for me to gather up sandpaw and take him to flat rock." Dirtclaw sighed. "See you starrykit." And with that he turned and walked away. At first I stared at ground not wanting to go back to the nursery. Then I heard voices. I turned and saw the elders calmly talking while munching on a fish. I walked over to them. "Good morning!" I said to them. A tortishell she-cat turned her head and looked at me. Her fur was a dark black with light sandy colored patches decorating her pelt. Her eyes were like ice. Her shocking blue gaze examined me for a moment before she spoke. "Good morning starrykit I don't believe we met I'm patchpelt this is brownear, poppyleg, and crookedtail." I looked at each of the elders in turn. When she said their name the would either nod their head or smile at me. "What brings you here by the elders den little one?" Poppyleg asked. " Well just trying to find something to do without getting in trouble." "Oh? Where are skykit and flowerkit? You three seem really close." "They are still asleep." I replied. "well how about a story for entertainment?" Brownear asked. "They aren't stories they're history!" Crookedtail exclaimed. "Well would you like to listen young one?" Patchpelt asked ignoring the two elders. "Sure sounds interesting." I said laying down and watching the elder she-cat expectantly. "Well then which one should we tell her?" Patchpelt mused. "How about the history of when the clans came together?" Poppyleg suggested. "Yes that's a good choice." Crookedtail agreed. "Well then let's see." Patchpelt hummed. Then she told the story of the beginning of the clans.

_It was a long, long time ago when there were no clans there was only blood and battles. Four cats rose and stood together on a great ledge of rock. They silenced the screeching, battling cats with a strong yowl. The cats stopped fighting and looked up to see the four cats standing upon the rock. One had a pelt as white as snow. Another had a bright flame colored pelt with sharp green eyes. The third cat had a long silver pelt that shimmered and sparkled like a river as it glided over rocks and the ground. She also had bright amber eyes. The last cat had a dark pelt that glittered like the stars in silverpelt. "We must stop this fighting!" The flame one spoke. "Yes it has brought us nothing but blood!" The female spoke. "We shall settle our differences by creating group of cats that will become as one!" The shining one spoke. "My name is snowstar and those cats who are best at climbing who wish to live in the mountains with the snow will join my clan snowclan!" Snowstar yowled. Many cats cheered and joined in a group facing the mountains. "I am flamestar and those cat who wish to live in a forest and are the best hunters may join me in flameclan!" The cats yowled their approval and gathered by the start of the forest "My name is waterstar and those cats who are the best swimmers and wish to live by water will join waterclan!" Many cats wandered silently towards the edge of a lake waiting for their leader. "And I am spiritstar those cats with a close connection to starclan and wish to live on the rocky moore land will join me in spiritclan!" Then the four cats turned to each other. "Each fullmoon we must meet here in peace." Waterstar said. "Yes we will call this place rock meadow. And with that the four cats went to their clans and lead them to their new home._

"Woah that's how the clans started?" I asked. Crookedstar nodded "yes young one it is true." Patchpelt sighed. 'I guess all that talking wore her out.' I thought. Brownear had fallen asleep and poppyleg was quietly licking her paw. I looked up and saw it was sunhigh. "My mother will be worried about me I have to go." I said turning to the elders And bowing my head. "Thank you for the story it was really interesting." "Any time if you want to hear more just come and ask." Crookedtail said. "Good bye." I mewed as I ran off towards the nursery. "Hey patchpelt doesn't starrykit…" Crooked tail said as he watched the young kit disappear into the nursery. "Yes she does look a lot like her."


	4. Chapter 4

**Five months later**

I yawned. "This is so boring." I sighed. "But we play it all the time and it isn't boring to us!" Blackkit mewed at me. "Well you guys are two moons younger than me. I should be an apprentice any day now!" I retorted. "What are you doing guys?" I turned and saw sugarkit waddling out of the nursery. "Nothing." Blackkit grumbled. I was the oldest kit in the nursery now that skykit ,flowerkit and their siblings moved out and became apprentices a moon ago. I never thought how boring it would be now. They are always busy with training or duties around camp and never have time to talk to me anymore. I laid down on the ground on my belly with my paws stretched in front of my muzzle. I stared at my silver paws. Over the past few months I had lost my kitten fluff and now I had sleek smooth short fur. It was still silver like my mothers fur though. My eyes turned from a bright green to an amber color like my father. I wasn't full-grown like a warrior but I was taller than blackkit, sugarkit, and leafkit. I only reached up to skypaws neck if we stood next to each other. I let out a frustrated sigh. I hated that I was still being treated as a kit. The only cats that didn't treat me as a kit was the elders. They really liked me after that day they told me about the beginning of the clans and always welcomed me when I would sit down next to them. Then sooner or later they would be telling me a story about waterclans past. "Starrykit?" I pulled out of my thoughts and looked up to see leafkit looking at me with a worried look on her face. "Whats wrong?" I asked as I sat up slowly. "Are you alright you seem depressed these past few days." She asked. 'mouse dung I forgot how perceptible these guys are!' I thought bitterly. "Nah I'm fine." I said walking past her towards the elders. When I arrived In front of the den patchpelt noticed me and smiled. "Haven't you grown? Your fur is so pretty now. Every time I see you walking towards us I think its waterstar coming to take me to starclan." Poppyleg said. "I don't think I look that much like her. " I replied sitting next to patchpelt. "Not yet but you will." Crookedtail assured "You both got those determined amber eyes that can make any cat freeze in their pawsteps." Before I could respond flowerpaw camp stumbling over with a mouthful of moss. "Thorry m let!" "What? For goodness sake child spit out that moss and speak clearly!" Flowerpaw dropped the moss in front of her and repeated "Sorry I'm late!" "Hi flowerpaw." I sighed. "Hi starrykit long time since we last talked huh?" "Yeah ever since you guys became apprentices I've been bored out of my mind!" "That's got to stink worse than mouse bile but at least you're the oldest in the nursery and your growing just as fast as me so we look like were the same age." She glanced at her mentor spidertail. Ever since he had rescued us from that fox flowerpaw looks up to him a lot now. Now don't get me wrong we all have always looked up to spidertail but flowerpaw is in eternal debt or something so she practically does his every whim without even blinking. "I have to go fix the elders bedding." She said picking the moss up and heading inside the den. "Something bugging you starrykit?" I looked at crookedtail. He gazed back waiting for me to answer. "No its nothing." I said looking out across the camp. On the other side of camp my father stripestar was talking to dirtclaw ,sandear ,and hornfur. Sandear was dirtclaws apprentice but when he caught a snake that almost killed his mentor he became a warrior for his bravery. "I'll bet its because shes not an apprentice yet." I heard poppyleg say. "Sort of." I replied still watching my father. As if he knew I was looking at him he turned and saw me staring at him. I watched as he said quick good-byes to the warriors and padded over to me. I didn't say any thing as he sat down next to me. "Hi starrykit how are you today." I looked forward and watched the warriors as they completed their tasks. "Starrykit?" He asked. I ignored him. "You can't do this forever." Silence. "Your so stubborn." He sighed. "I get that from you." I said curtly. The elders watched in silence as we sat there talking. "Okay all done!" Flowerpaw exclaimed as she walked out of the elders den. My ears laid flat and I slouched forward when she walked out of the den. "Starrykit what's wrong?" She asked. "Nothing I'm just Peachey!" I Exclaimed sarcastically. I trudged off not even flicking my tail goodbye. "Starrykit wouldn't act like this if it was about being an apprentice." Patchpelt said. "Yeah something's really getting to her." Stripestar agreed. "What if its because of me and skypaw?" Flowerpaw asked. "What do you mean?" Poppyleg asked. "Me and skypaw were avoiding her because we didn't want her feeling bad about us becoming apprentices and her staying a kit." She explained. They watched starrykit disappear into the nursery. Before continuing. "I'm sure she just misses you guys." Crookedtail suggested. "If that's what you think is wrong ask her about it you wont find out until you confront her about it." Patchpelt nodded her head in agreement. "Okay I'll try it." Flowerpaw said.

As I walked in the nursery I noticed it was empty. No cat or kits were to be found. I sighed as I sat in the nest me and my mother shared. The nursery seem dark and uninviting. I heard a rustle in the ferns and looked up to see flowerpaw pushing through the ferns. "Don't you have apprentice duties or something?" I muttered. "You seem lonely." Flowerpaw said as she sat next to me. "I'm sorry starrykit. I thought we weren't causing you pain but I guess we made it worse." " What are you talking about?" I sniffled. "I'm sorry for leaving you alone." She said as she leaned into me. I shifted away from her. "You guys left me by myself. I thought you were my friends but you didn't even care if I was left behind." I tried hiding the fact that I was on the verge of tears but my voice cracked. "Starrykit I-" "Shut up I hate you both!" I shouted as I jumped back. "No you don't." I looked at the nursery opening and saw skypaw entering the den. "How would you know?" "I don't but I do know your afraid." He looked me straight in the eye "Your afraid of being alone." I'll admit I didn't attack him I didn't mock him for that cheesy moment either. I just broke down and cried right in front of my two bestest friends in the whole wide world. And it felt good. Skypaw and flowerpaw helped me vent out my feelings and it felt a lot lighter inside. A few seconds after I started crying flowerpaw was next to me trying to get me to stop crying. "Don't worry we wont leave you alone."


	5. Chapter 5

We walked out of the den when I had stopped crying. I must have looked like mouse dung because as we walked to my dad and the elders crookedtail said "You look like you were either mugged or eaten I can't tell which." I smiled. "Thanks." I croaked. I walked over to my dad and leaned into his side burying my face in his fur. "Sorry." Said my voice muffled by his fur. "It's not your fault." I looked up at him and smiled. "Now go get cleaned up I'm not having my daughter look like that at her apprentice ceremony." At first I was confused but then I smiled "Yes! Got it dad thank you!" I said bounding off to find my mother. "MOM!" I looked around for her familiar silver pelt. I turned and saw her by the fresh kill pile. "Mom!" I said breathlessly when I reached her. Imeadiatly she started licking me like crazy. "Mom?" I asked surprised. "Your father told me this morning he was planning on making you an apprentice at sunhigh" She explained. "Great starclan why is your fur so stiff! Is this a piece of nettle?" "MOM!" I groaned. As she cleaned me flowerpaw walked over and sat next to me. "Whats up?" I asked while my mother licked in between my ears. "Nothing really the whole apprentice den is excited that your joining us finally. Me and skypaw made a nest for you but we argued so much about you would sleep next to we put your nest in the middle of me ,sparklepaw ,skypaw ,and wishpaw." "Oh yeah?" I asked. Wishpaw was from fernfoots first litter of kits and was like an older sister to all of us when flowerkit and her siblings were still in the nursery. She still was to me. "Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather under high ledge!" I turned to see my father stripestar on high ledge watching as the cats of the clan gathered around under high ledge. "We are gathered to give a clan kit her apprentice name!" He shouted some cat murmured their approval and some cats turned and looked at me. "Come forward." He ordered. My heart was pounding so hard from excitement I thought the whole clan was going to hear it. I stepped forward and stood In front of highrock. "Hornfur." My father said directing his attention on the senior warrior. "You will be mentor to starrypaw." I glanced at hornfur and thought he sat up even taller with pride gleaming in his eyes. He was a muscular tom with dark chocolate colored fur and lighter brown stripes decorating his pelt. He got up and padded over to stand next to me on my left. His scent overwhelmed my senses for a moment when he brushed against me to stand in his spot. He smelled like the forest outside of our camp and the nursery as if he was just in there. I wasn't surprised though. Morninglily is his mate and shes expecting her kits in a moon or two. "Hornfur you are powerful, brave, and wise we hope you pass all this down to starrypaw." My father said looking at me with pride shining in his eyes. "Yes stripestar." Hornfur replied. He bent his head down and we touched noses. I followed hornfur to the edge of the group of cats and sat next to him. I licked my chest fur and sat up as straight as I could manage. Hornfur seemed to be doing the same thing. The cats started to split off from the ceremony when my father leaped off the high ledge and joined my mother. "Starrypaw!" I turned and saw flowerpaw, skypaw, and the apprentices waiting for me by the boulder that sat a few tail lengths away from the apprentices den. I remembered seeing the other apprentices always eating or sharing tongues by or on the boulder. I looked up at hornfur and he nodded encouragingly at me. I bolted towards them. "Congrats you finally caught up!" Sunpaw exclaimed when I reached them. His golden pelt shone in the sunlight brightly as his sharp green eyes examined me. "So you're the leaders daughter huh?" he asked. "Um yeah?" I said feeling intimidated by him as he stood up straight and examined me. "Stop teasing her sunpaw!" Cloudpaw exclaimed playfully batting his ear. "Sorry its to funny to see the newbies reaction when you act all tough." He said backing up giggling. I smiled and started chuckling. "We still got all afternoon to mess around sunpaw." gentelpaw giggled. Now I'm not a genius or anything but I got a feeling gentelpaw liked him more than just a friend but I just became an apprentice so what do I know? "Skypaw." Skypaw looked up behind me "Rockclaw?" I turned and saw a tall darkgray tom with piercing yellow eyes standing behind me. "Ah starrypaw congratulations." His yoice was deep and rich and reminded me of a badger when it growls. "Thank you rockclaw." I said bowing my head. "I was about to take skykit out training would you and hornfur like to join us?" My paws got all tingly from excitement. 'Training!' I thought. "Let me ask him." I said feeling elated about training with my new mentor and skypaw. I bolted off to where I saw hornfur last. "Are you looking for your mentor hornfur?" I and saw goldensun padding towards me. "Uhm yes do you know where he is?" I asked anxious to try training. "He's in the nursery." She said pointing with her tail. I ran to the nursery after saying a brief thanks to goldensun. I pushed through the reeds and felt the smooth hard packed earth under my pads. "Hornfur?" I asked looking around. "Yes starrypaw?" I looked over at morninglilys nest and saw hornfur sitting next to his mate. "So this is your new apprentice." Morning lily said giving me a warm smile. "Hi morning lily. Hornfur rockclaw invited us to train with him and skypaw can we?" I asked hopefully looking at him. "Can't say no to that face." He chuckled. He gave morninglily a quick lick on the head and walked out of the nursery. I said goodbye to morninglily and trotted after my mentor. We saw rockclaw and skypaw waiting by the camp entrance. I bounced ahead excitedly greeting them. "Shes an energetic one you sure you can handle her hornfur?" Rockclaw joked. Hornfur laughed "I've had energetic apprentices before rockclaw." "Not like skypaw hes like a freaking squirrel!" we made our way past the owl tree and headed towards the stream that partially separates the two islands that belong to waterclan. The whole walk I was looking at everything wide eyed. Skypaw noticed this and said "Starrypaw close your mouth you could catch a thrush flying by with it opened that big. I quickly closed my mouth. "It's her first time out of the camp skypaw don't be mean." Rockclaw chuckled. I heard the stream before we saw it. We turned and saw a clearing with the stream running through the middle of it. I recognized this place from five moons ago." Hey skypaw this is where we ran into the fox as kits right?" I asked looking around. "Huh yeah I guess I never really noticed before." I looked into skypaws big green eyes. They use to be blue when he was a kit but like me they changed color as he got older. He was more muscular now since he left the nursery. His white pelt was smooth and short. His long tail trailed behind him staying off the ground of the clearing. "Starrypaw follow me." Hornfur said walking towards the stream. I watched carefully as he wadded in the water. He shivered as the cool water reached past his belly fur. He turned and motioned for me to follow. Instead of wadding in like hornfur though. I ran and jumped in splashing hornfur, rockclaw, and skypaw in the process. "I can't say that was graceful but it works." Hornfur said. "At least she got in." Skypaw said stepping in the freezing water. "Flowerpaw didn'[t want to get wet when we went with the dawn patrol. "Wow the water feels great!" I exclaimed splashing through the water towards skypaw. "ITS FREEZING!" He shouted. "And You said flowerpaw didn't like water." I muttered. "I can stand it but I can't stay in it for a long time." He said indignantly. "It is the beginning of new leaf so the water should be pretty cold." Hornfur chuckled as he watched us argue. I swam to the shore of the second island and shook off the extra water. My wet fur clung to my body making me look smaller. I watched and waited as the others sleek bodies slid out of the stream and shook water off their pelts. "Ready to go?" Rockclaw asked. "Yup!" I said excitedly. We walked through the clearing and into the forest towards the northeast. "Where are we going?" I asked. "The flat rock" Hornfur replied "Its where apprentices train in fighting skills." "Oh" I replied looking ahead. We arrived in a grassy clearing with a short stone cliff to our right at least four cats high and the lake was to our left. If you fell from that cliff it would only give you some sore bruises. Out on the lake you could see the island where our camp was on and past that in the distance a giant waterfall tumbled down from a cliff that reached all the way up to starclan. "Skypaw we'll train on the flat rock now." Rockclaw said. Skypaw nodded and followed his mentor towards the cliff. I started to follow but hornfur blocked my way with his tail. I'm going to asses your skills here in the clearing first so that I know what you need work in." I nodded. And followed him to the middle of the clearing. "Okay lets try the front swipe." I swiped my front right paw at him before he knew what I was doing. "oof!" He said when I hit him. He backed up a little. "Well that's fine then.." He wheezed. "Sorry hornfur." I said sheepishly. "It's fine lets try something else." We practiced till the sun was a blazing ball of fire above the lake. It cast a red-orange glow over the lake making the water turn pink. "We should head back to camp." Hornfur said standing up from his defensive crouch. I took the opportunity to tackle him. "I win!" I yowled jumping off of him. "No you took him by surprise." I turned and saw skypaw and his mentor rockclaw walking up to us. "We should head back." Rockclaw replied. "I was just saying that before I was attacked by a certain apprentice!" He said biting the scruff of my neck playfully I squealed and swiped at his paws. He let go of me and jumped back before I hit him. I looked at skypaw and smiled. I saw some emotion flash in his eyes but it was to fast for me to identify. My muscles suddenly ached and I felt my eyes drooping. "Lets head back now." Rockclaw said holding back a chuckle. I was constantly dozing off on the way back to camp. Skypaw helped guide me when ever I did fall asleep. As we entered the camp I saw flowerpaw waiting outside the den. She saw us and bounded over. "So how was your first training session?" She asked. "Awesome." I said giving her a sleepy smile. "You look tired lets get some food and sleep." She said smiling. I waited next to the entrance as she bolted off towards the fresh kill pile. I was laying next to skypaw by the apprentice boulder sharing tongues when she came back with a fish. "Here." She said laying the fish at our paws. I took a lazy bite and pushed it toward skypaw. He took a bite and scooted it back towards me again. Flowerpaw watched us. I scooted it towards her and she took a bite and scooted it back. "So what did you learn today?" She asked. I thought I saw her wisker twitched but I was so tired I thought it was my imagination. "I learned a bunch of new moves from hornfur and I was able to tackle him when we stopped." I said. "He is one of the best fighters in the clan." Flowerpaw mused. "But that means he's going to train you really hard." Skypaw muttered. "Bring it." I said suddenly feeling excited at the thought of training. "I'll be the best apprentice he has ever met and I'll be a great warrior and leader." Skypaw smiled for the first time since we stopped training at flat rock. "Yeah and help you to the top too." "Me too!" Flowerpaw chimed in. "We'll both help you with your dream to become leader." I smiled. We sat there for a while eating the fish and sharing tongues. We finally went to bed after silverpelt appeared on the sky.


	6. Chapter 6

"Slowly starrypaw lean back on your haunches more." Hornfur whispered. I did as I was told while still stalking the mouse. I opened my mouth and smelled the dense lush forest of green leaf. The mouse was to busy trying to crack open a nut to notice me. I smelled its small little body a few tail lengths away. I could also smell hornfur watching close behind me giving me occasional instructions. The mouse's ears quirked and it stood up looking and sniffing frantically with its little pink nose. I froze not daring to breath. I was downwind from the mouse so it couldn't smell me. I watched as it bent down and started nibbling on the nut again. I crept forward till I could hear it tiny heart beating and leaped at it. The mouse let out one shrill squeak before I sunk my teeth into its juicy neck. It went limp as I started to taste the tangy mouthwatering kill. Its scent filled my senses and my stomach growled. I set the kill down and kicked some dirt over it. The clan needed to be fed first before I could eat. It was part of the warrior code for all the clans. I scented the air in search for more prey. I caught scent of a rabbit and immediately dropped into a crouch. 'Rabbits are different' I thought 'they can smell you more acutely than mice and are much faster' I peered through a bush and caught sight of the rabbits soft brown coat. I leaped as soon as I saw it. Before it could even move I broke its neck with a sickening crack echoing through the quiet forest. "Well done starrypaw you've made excellent progress since yesterday. I had been an apprentice for about seven sunhighs (one week) now and hornfur had been training me hard just like skypaw said. "Now lets try to catch some fish." He said trotting off in the direction of the stream where me ,skypaw ,and our mentors had crossed the day I became an apprentice. We followed the stream north for a while till we saw the stepping stones that lead from one island to the other. I jumped from stone to stone till I was one the third one from the shore. I sat and waited staring at the cool water flow past me. Then I saw the silver bodies of fish swim by. I raised my paw aiming at a fish coming towards my rock. I swung my paw with claws unsheathed into the water and hooked the fish by its gill and threw it up towards the air. I kept my claw in its gill not letting go or I would lose the fish and it would swim away. But because I wouldn't let go I leaned forward and fell into the water. "Ah!" I shrieked as I fell in. The fish scattered and swam away as I hit the water. When I surfaced I saw hornfur trying to hold back a laugh. I held up my paw with the fish still hooked to it and shouted "Got it!" "Yes." He said his eyes twinkling with amusment. "But you have to learn to keep your balance when you hook the fish with your claw." He said getting serious again as I trudged out of the water with the fish in between my teeth. "Lets take your kills for today and head back to the camp." "Got it!" I said bounding off to collect my rabbit and mouse I had caught. The sun was almost sunhigh when I arrived at the camp. I saw tigereye the clan deputy organizing patrols with a group of cats. I dropped the prey on the fresh kill pile and trotted over to listen. "Evening patrol will be lead by dirtclaw" Tigereye said "sparklepaw and runningstream will join him." "What about the gathering tonight whos going?" Goldensun asked. "Stripestar has asked that hornfur ,goldensun ,dirtclaw ,spidertail ,rockclaw ,mossnose ,sunpaw ,skypaw ,wishpaw ,gentelpaw ,flowerpaw ,and starrypaw are coming." Tigereye said listing off the names one by one. "And of course the elders and medicine cats are going too." Runningstream said. I bolted towards the apprentice den looking for skypaw and and flowerpaw. I burst inside only to see sunpaw and wishpaw taking a nap from todays training. Sunpaw looked up sleepily. When he saw me he pricked his ears and his eyes widened. "Whats wrong starrypaw?" He asked getting up. "No nothing tigereye announced who was going to the gathering tonight and I came to tell skypaw and flowerpaw that were going!" I said breathlessly. "You ,wishpaw ,and gentelpaw are coming too." "Oh" He said his face brightening "Skypaw it helping out the elders and flowerpaw is with him." he said laying his head down again to sleep. "Thanks sunpaw." I said gently licking his head. I turned and quietly tip-toed out of the den and headed for the elders den. "Stop complaining at least I'm working on it!" I heard someone shout from inside. I Stepped lightly through the ferns. Patchpelt and poppyleg were on one side of the sunlit den sharing tounges while flowerpaw helped crookedtail and skypaw helped brownear. They pushed their pelts aside looking for ticks wile brownear complained the whole time. "Ah starrypaw why are you here?" Patchpelt asked as soon as she noticed me standing there. I sat down next to her and explained "I needed to talk to flowerpaw and skypaw. "Why is something wrong?" Flowerpaw asked before cracking a flea between her teeth. "No It's the best news I've had all day!" I purred getting excited. "Ow! Your supposed to bite the flea not me!" Brownear shrieked. "I didn't even touch you!" Skypaw exclaimed in disbelief. "I think skypaw could use some good news right about now." Flowerpaw said watching the two cats argue. "Well when I came back from hunting with hornfur earlier I saw tigereye the deputy talking to a group of warriors." I said. "And?" Skypaw asked in a bored tone. "Let me finish!" I exclaimed. "He was talking about patrols and goldensun asked who was going to the gathering tonight-" "Good starclan starrypaw get to the point!" Patchpelt meowed. "Sorry!" I meowed. "Well anyway he said me and you guys are going to the gathering tonight!" I meowed excitedly. Crookedtail squeaked. "You bit my tail flowerpaw!" He said to the young apprentice. She stared at me wide-eyed for a moment. Then she said "your pulling my tail aren't you?" "No!" I squeaked. "Honestly flowerpaw you think starrypaw would lie about something like that?" Skypaw asked. "Remember when we were kits and we tried going but got caught by that fox?" I shivered as I remembered the expedition. If it wasn't for spiderleg and dirtclaw we would have been chunks of rotten meat stuck between that foxes teeth by now. But now we were going without the danger of foxes. Instead were going as representatives of our clan with the warriors, elders, other apprentices, the deputy tigereye, and stripestar. I was so excited I started to pace the den. "I wonder if the other cats will be friendly or if there are other apprentices coming for their first time like us." I rambled on as flowerpaw and skypaw finished taking care of the elders. "Hey starrypaw if your so energetic use that energy to grab me something to eat." Skypaw muttered getting annoyed whenever I walked over the fresh feather bedding he put down for the elders. "Yeah me too and while your at it can you take these soiled feathers and get rid of them." Flowerpaw meowed through a mouthful of fresh feathers. I grabbed the discarded pile of feathers and bolted out of the nursery flicking my tail goodbye to my friends. As soon as I came back into the camp I ran over to the freshkill pile and picked up a plump thrush and looked around for skypaw and flowerpaw. I spotted them sharing tongues by the apprentice boulder where we usually hangout. I trotted over and dropped the fish in front of them. "Here you guys go!" I meowed happily. "Gosh starrypaw don't you ever get tired of being happy all the time?" Flowerpaw joked. I just smiled even brighter. "Starrypaw." I turned and saw my mentor hornfur walking towards me. "Yes hornfur?" "Silverleaf would like to see you." "Do you know why?" I asked. "Something about helping cloudpaw out I think." He glanced behind me. I was about to turn and look at what he glanced at but then he brushed the tip of his tail on my shoulder. "After your done would you like to join me and thundertail on the sunhigh patrol?" "Sure!" I chirped and bolted towards silverleafs den. I thrust my head through the vines and almost hit my head againt cloudpaws. "Woah!" She yowled in surprise. "Sorry cloudpaw!" I said just as surprised. I backed out of the den as cloudpaw walked out. "Will come gather herbs in the forest with me starrypaw? I'd hate to go alone. Silverleaf asked your mentor if knew where you were." Sure I'll help hornfur just talked to me about it." I replied. We walked side by side towards the entrance. "Is silverleaf acting weird to you?" Cloudpaw asked as we reached the tunnel. "What do you mean?" I asked. "Well when I was preparing to get more herbs earlier I thought silverleaf would come with but she said I should ask you to help me instead." "Maybe she is trying to train you?" I suggested thoughtfully. 'It is weird that she would recommend an apprentice that just started training a couple days ago.' I thought. "Plus she talks about you a lot." Cloudpaw put in. "Really? What does she say?" I asked. "Well sometimes she'll comment on your apprenticeship or how you grew from when we helped your mother give birth to you but there was this one time…" She looked down and stared at the forest floor. "Cloudpaw?" I asked. "She'll mumble to herself about you and some sort of ancient history from a long time ago while watching you eat with or talk to skypaw and flowerpaw and she would have this weird look in her eye." We passed the owl tree and headed towards the stream where I caught the fish earlier. "Did you know that the clan is still trying to name this stream?" Cloudpaw suddenly said when we reached the stream. "No I didn't know." I said staring at the water. "Cloudpaw?" She looked at me. "If anything is troubling you you'll talk to me about it right? I mean because were friends and we got to look out for each other." I said cheerily giving her a big smile. She hesitated "Yeah." She said smiling. "So what kind of herbs are you looking for?" I asked bending over the river and sniffing. "Um right now horsetail and catmint." She said after thinking for a moment. "Cool we can both of those by the river." I said wandering farther upstream. The sunlight shone in the clearing making the river sparkle. I couldn't resist the urge and jumped in the water. I swam smoothly through the water my fluffy tail acting as a rudder. I swam up to the bank where cloudpaw was sniffing around. I was still thinking about the talk we had walking through the woods. I had really been by disturbed by cloudpaws worries about silverleafs behavior and unfortunately made me worried too. I floated in the shallow edge of the stream. 'I thought if I jumped in the stream it would wash my worries away with the flowing water.' I thought 'maybe im just being ridiculous about it and worrying to much' I thought. "Starrypaw are you going to swim all day or help me?" Cloudpaws voice asked from lower down stream. I Swam over and saw her hunched over a plant plucking leaf from its branches. "You found some catmint." I said recognizing the smell. "You can tell?" She asked through a mouthful of the leaves. "Well yeah." I said cheerily. I let the stream float my body farther downstream as cloudpaw trotted with a mouthful of catmint on the dry bank. My muscles felt stiff and sore from all the training these past few days and the water felt cool and relaxing against my fur. I sighed and started to hum while I kept looking around for some horsetail. I heard a rustle from the opposite side of the stream that cloudpaw was on. I turned to looked and saw a bush was still moving as if a cat had just run past it. "Cloudpaw I'm going to check something out real quick ok?" I said to the white apprentice. She nodded and sat down to wait. I swam back to where the bush was moving a moment ago. Now it was perfectly still. I walked over towards the bush and sniffed it. The scent was faint as if whoever made it move was wet. I looked down and saw wet pawprints running into the woods behind the bush. 'that's weird me and cloudpaw didn't see or hear anyone cross the river.' I thought. I looked in the woods but saw nothing moved. "Hm" I mused out loud and walked into the stream. "What was it?" Cloudpaw asked. "Nothing I'm just imaging things." I said laughing "That's me the clans most paranoid apprentice ever!" Cloudpaw looked worried for a moment but then started laughing. "Yeah I guess." I walked out of the water on the side cloudpaw was on and shook the water droplets off my silver pelt. My pelt glittered in the sunlight as the sun illuminated the water that was still hanging on my pelt. By the time we returned to camp the cats were buzzing about the gathering. Moonpaw and sparklepaw were pestering the apprentices that were going to the gathering. Silverleaf and some of the senior warriors including hornfur were talking to tigereye and my father. I followed cloudpaw into the medicine cat den and placed herbs on the ground. I licked my lips trying to get the bitter taste out of my mouth. "You can get something to eat now thanks for helping starrypaw." Cloudpaw said as she put some of the herbs in a crack in the wall of the den facing opposite of the cave that silverleaf made her den. Next to the cave opening were some nests made out of flattened grass. By the wall where they stared the herbs a small fountain trickled clear cool water into a bowl shaped indent in the ground. Water pooled in the indent. As I looked around silverleaf walked in. "Is there anything you need starrypaw?" She asked looking at me kindly. "Um no goodbye cloudpaw!" I called as I walked past silverleaf and into camp. The sun was starting to set making the sky turn a brilliant orange and the clouds turned pink. "Starrypaw!" I turned from the beautiful sight and saw skypaw bounding towards me. "Want to share a mouse together?" "Sure." We padded over towards the freshkill pile. Skypaw plucked a brown furry mouse from the pile and followed me as we walked to the boulder. We laid down side by side and ate the mouse while talking about what the gathering was going to be like. When we finished the mouse we stretched out lazily and watched as the sun slowly disappeared behind the treetops. "It's gotten more warmer hasn't it?" I hummed. "Yeah it's going to be green leaf soon." Skypaw replied licking his paw. "Guys its almost time to go." Flowerpaw said walking up to us followed by her two younger siblings. "Hi guys." I said getting up. "Starrypaw you'll tell us about the gathering won't you?" Moonpaw asked. "Let all cats who are old enough to hunt their own prey gather under highledge for a clan meeting!" I looked up and saw my father standing tall and proud on highledge. His fur gleamed brightly in the moonlight. "I would like to make two apprentices some warriors before we leave!" He announced. "Sunpaw and wishpaw!" "Me!" Sunpaw asked. "Its probably because you've been working so hard lately!" I said encouragingly. "Yeah maybe thanks starrypaw!" He said licking in between my ears and walked forward to stand next to his sister. "Sunpaw do you promise to uphold the warrior code?" My father asked. "I do." He replied. "Then from this day forward you will be known as sunwisker! The clan honors your bravery and strength. Wishpaw do you promise to uphold the warrior code?" Wishpaw shuffled her paws excitedly and tried to stand up taller. "Yes stripestar!" "Then you shall be known as wishcloud the clan honors your kindness and spirit!" Stripestar stood still and took a deep breath. "Since you two will need to have your silent ritual sparklepaw and thundertail shall come to the gathering tonight as well." I ran up to sunwisker as soon as the meeting ended. "Congratulations sunwisker!" I said happily. He smiled and licked my head again. "Your going to be a great warrior I know it!" This time he caught me off guard by nuzzling my face affectionately. "Were leaving!" Tigereye announced. "U-uh bye?" I asked as I stumbled over to skypaw and flowerpaw. "So sunwisker likes you eh starrypaw?" She asked nudging me with her paw. "Yeah…" I said blushing. "Lets go." Skypaw said standing up and trotting away. "Is something wrong skypaw?" Flowerpaw asked. "No." We followed him to the bramble tunnel. I turned back to see sunwisker watching me. His eyes were kind and wondering. I blushed even harder and bolted up the tunnel. I crashed into silverleaf who was waiting outside of the tunnel. Her face was an unreadable mask as she stared at me for a moment. Then she turned briskly away and followed the others leaving me to stare after her wondering what she was thinking.


	7. Chapter 7

"I'm so excited!" Flowerpaw exclaimed as we watched the cats ahead of us swim across the stream. "Yeah it's going to be so cool right skypaw?" I asked. Skypaw looked at me for a moment and a huge grin spread across his face. "Yeah." "Come on!" I shouted jumping into the stream. "Starrypaw stop your going to get us all wet!" Gentelpaw exclaimed grumpily. "Why? Your already wet." I stated. She growled and trudged past me through the water. "Starrypaw hurry up!" Skypaw said as his soaked pelt brushed past me through the cool water. "Yup!" Flowerpaw said happily as she shook her pelt on the other side of the stream. Me and skypaw walked side by side to the other side of the stream. After we got out and shook our fur dry I bounded ahead to stand next to my father. He looked at me and asked "Are you tired? We still have to walk for another few minutes and cross two more streams" I shook my head. "I'm so excited about the gathering I can barley hold it in." "Just be careful about making friends in other clans starrypaw." He said looking at me. His eyes glittered with concern. "Don't worry I'm completely loyal to my clan." I replied. He sighed "Yes I can see that." "You worry to much." I said smiling at him. I stayed right by his side as we trekked through the terrain of water clan territory. By the time we reached the third stream we had to cross that night I was starting breathe harder. I could see four huge rocks forming a circle on the other side of the stream. The stream curved around the rocks making a circle around the rock. I couldn't see them but I could smell lots of cats. I smelled the sickly sweet scent of spiritclan and almost threw up. "Ew I smell spiritclan." I said wrinkling up my nose. "Its ok you'll have to deal with it tonight." Skypaw said padding over to stand next to me. "Yeah sure." I said with distaste. I smelled for more cats and caught the smoky burnt scent of flameclan. The scent wasn't bad it actually kind of smelled good. I wrinkled my nose in disgust as I caught scent of spiritclan again. My father waited a moment and flicked his tail signaling for us to follow him. We swam across the last stream and strode between a crack in between two of the big rocks big enough to fit two cats at one time. Before I slipped in skypaw stood closer to me. I could feel his pelt bristle with excitement as we walked side by side into a circular clearing surrounded by stones. I gasped as I saw loads of cats milling about in the clearing. I noticed patchpelt and the other elders walk over to some other elderly cats in a group sharing tongues. A rock big enough for five cats to stand on stood tall in the middle of the clearing. I stepped forward as I stared up at silver pelt in the sky. "Hey you two." Tigereye called out to us. He walked over and whispered to us so only we could hear. "I've already told flowerpaw this so listen do not give anything away and listen quietly to the other cats ok?" "Yes sir!" I said. I turned and walked toward a group of apprentices. Flowerpaw raced over and flanked my right side while her brother flanked my left. We padded over and sat down. "Hi there!" I said cheerily. "Hey." A dark silvery colored tom replied. "Your all wet!" A bright colored ginger she-cat exclaimed. "Well yeah we swam here." Skypaw coolly replied. "So you three are from waterclan?" A young brown tortishell she-cat asked. "Yeah I'm starrypaw this is skypaw and flowerpaw." I replied pointing to each of us. "Im smallpaw from spiritclan." The tortishell replied. "I'm also from spiritclan my name is shiningpaw." The dark shiny silver one said. "I'm lightningpaw and this is smokepaw, juniperpaw, and tallpaw were all from flameclan." The ginger said pointing to a smoky colored cat, a light brown one, and a tall black and white one. "So what were you guys talking about?" I asked. I felt flowerpaw starting to relax and lay down beside me. _Was she uptight this whole time?_ "We were wondering when snowclan was getting here." Smallpaw replied. "Is this your first gathering?" Shiningpaw asked. "Yeah you?" I asked. He nodded and so did smallpaw. "How about you guys?" I asked turning to the flameclan apprentices. They nodded too. Suddenly I smelled a new scent. I could tell skypaw and flowerpaw could smell it too cause flowerpaw instantly stiffened and skypaw shifted uncomfterbly. I watched as the snowclan cats filed in the clearing. A gray and white cat that came with snowclan jumped on the rock in the clearing and was soon followed by my father and two other cats. One had a dark black pelt with sharp green eyes and the other was a sandy colored tabby. "The sandy one your looking at is lightstar." Shiningpaw whispered. "She is the leader of shiningclan." "The black one is darkstar he's the leader of flameclan." Tallpaw boasted proudly. "And the gray and white one is graystar." Smokepaw said. "Hey look starrypaw there's your dad!" Flowerpaw said. The other apprentices turned and looked at me surprised. "Your dad is the leader!" Smallpaw exclaimed. Suddenly the cats got really quiet as they stared up at the leaders of the four clans. My father stepped forward and addressed the cats. "Tonight I have made two apprentices warriors!" He announced after greeting the other cats. I noticed four cats standing at the base of the rock the leaders were on. I recognized tigereye's striped pelt and assumed the others were deputy's. "One is now sunwhisker and the second is wishcloud." The cats in the clearing yowled their approval "Our clan also has new warriors." lightstar said stepping forward. "They were recognized two sunhighs ago. Their names are goldentail and cliffnose!" More cats yowled and two warriors straightened up higher. One was a blonde color like goldensun and the other was a dark brown tom. The rest of the gathering the leaders were announcing events that were happening with their camps and who's a warrior or a queen. By the time it was over flowerpaw was dozing off beside me. I had listened to the whole thing wondering what it was like to be up there explaining camp activities to other cats. My nose wrinkled in disgust as a spiritclan scent overwhelmed my senses. I looked up and saw shiningpaw standing in front of me. "Wow your stripestars daughter." The other apprentices gathered around me as I flicked my tail in annoyance. "Yes I am." I replied as I smelled bitter snowclan scent and saw two more apprentices coming over. "Who's Stripestars daughter?" One asked. "This one over here?" The other one sneered at me. "This one has a name!" I shot back. "I'm starrypaw." "Well she sure has his temper." The first one said tauntingly. I took a deep breath and turned around. Skypaw and flowerpaw still flanked me as I walked away. "Bye see you around!" I turned my head and saw shiningpaw flicking his tail goodbye at me. I twitched my ears at him and continued toward the group of waterclan cats. "Spiritclan has the most disgusting smell ever!" Flowerpaw exclaimed from my left. I turned my head and looked back at her and nodded. "It makes me want to puke." I replied giving my chest a quick lick. "Come on you three!" Gentelpaw shouted over the murmur of cats. "Well she's in a better mood." Skypaw said in an annoyed voice. I chuckled and looked at the group of waterclan cats as we trotted towards them. I noticed silverleaf staring at me again. I returned the stare. She blinked and turned towards cloudpaw and started talking to her. Sparklepaw came bounding over and stood beside flowerpaw who was still flanking me. "Wasn't that boring? I totally fell asleep!" She exclaimed. "You should pay more attention to your elders." Skypw chided his sister. When we reached the others we started through the crack in the rocks and swam across the stream. I glanced to the side and saw some cats crossing a fallen tree trunk into spirit clan territory. A familiar shiny dark silver pelt glinted in the moonlight. I got to the other side and shook my pelt drying off. I stood up and looked at the log again most of the cats were on spiritclan territory except for two. One was the same pelt I saw a second ago and the other was a brown tortishell. Skypaw glanced to where I was looking and automatically took up position on my left side while flowerpaw was once again on my right. "What are you guys doing?" I asked when they didn't move until I started walking. "We promised to help you to the top so we decided to practice." Flowerpaw replied smiling at me. "By acting like you're the boss." Skypaw said also smiling. "Thanks guys." I said "I won't let you down." I grinned. I turned and saw silver leaf was listening to us. "Water alone will save our clan." She mumbled in disbelief watching us. "What was that?" Tigereye asked. "A new prophecy." Silverleaf mumbled turning and running to stripestar. "Stripestar the stream surrounding the four rocks has given me a prophecy from starclan. Water alone will save our clan." She explained repeating the prophecy. "What does it mean stripestar?" Hornfur asked. "I don't know." My father said truthfully. "We'll just have to wait and see if the prophecy is good or bad right?" Cloudpaw put in. "Yeah It could be a really good prophecy!" I said cheerily. On that happy note I padded forward toward the stream that separated our islands from the mainland. Skypaw and flowerpaw immediately flanked me yet again and we crossed the stream. By the time we reached camp most of the cats had forgotten about the ominous prophecy and were wanting to fall asleep in their warm dens. Wailing broke the silence as we walked through the tunnel entrance. Ii was coming from the nursery. I bolted ahead of the group of cats and into the nursery with skypaw and flowerpaw close behind. "What's wrong?" I asked bursting through the reeds. "It's morninglily!" Fernfoot exclaimed frantically "THE KITS ARE COMEING!" Morninglily shouted. I ran out of the den. "Silverleaf! Cloudpaw!" I shouted. Immediately the two cats ran over and walked inside the den. "Where's morninglily? Is she alright?" Hornfur asked trying to get inside. I blocked his way knowing cloudpaw and silverleaf needed room to help morninglily. "What are you doing starrypaw?" Hornfur asked. He pushed forward trying to get past me. I swiped my paw at his front legs and made him do a face plant. "This is no time to train starrypaw." He said his voice muffled by the ground. "If you really want to help her you'll wait out here." I said with as much authority as I could muster. He stood to his full height and towered over me. His dark green eyes glared at me. I returned his gaze without flinching. "She's right hornfur. You won't be much help freaking out and pacing the nursery." Cloudpaw said emerging from the den. "But-" "If you want to help go get some soaked moss for morninglily." Cloudpaw said. "And bring starrypaw with you so I know you actually get some instead of sitting on your haunches." Hornfur nodded his head and turned swiftly towards the tunnel entrance. We walked briskly through the forest towards the stream. "Sorry I…I'm…I'm just worried." Hornfur stammered. "You want to protect her and keep her safe hornfur. I understand how you feel" I said surprised by how calm I sounded. "Do…do you think I'll be good enough? For the kits I mean." He asked glancing at me anxiously. "Yeah you will make a great father." I said leaning into his flank trying to comfort him. "Yeah I guess…" He trailed off staring into the dark woods. We raced back to the camp with dripping moss clenched between our jaws. Cloudpaw was exiting the nursery when she saw us. Her coat was covered in blood. I ran towards her and dropped the moss. "What… happened?" I asked between breaths. When I saw her pelt my blood turned to ice. She looked at us "Morninglily is ok and you are now father of a tom and a she-cat." She explained to hornfur. He sighed heavily with relief. My legs felt like lead. I collapsed with exhaustion. "Thank starclan." I sighed. "Do you want to see them?" I heard cloudpaw ask. "Yes starrypaw will you come with me?" He asked. I looked up and nodded. I picked up a wad of moss and we padded together into the nursery. Tiny mewling filled the silence of the nursery. Silverleaf was also covered in blood. She saw us and nodded with understanding. She got up and walked out of the den. I took a tentative step forward. "Come on starrypaw don't be shy say hello." Morninglily said smiling kindly. She looked so tired I thought she was going to fall asleep right there. I gently placed the moss by her head. She lapped at it eagerly. I looked in the nest and saw two little bundles of fluff tucked neatly into their mother belly. One looked exactly like hornfur and the other was tan colored with golden spots decorating its small fluffy body. "What are you going to name them?" I asked looking at the tiny kits in awe. "The female is going to be dapplekit." She said pointing her tail at the spotted tan one. "And this one is going to be squirrelkit." "Squirrlekit and dapplekit." I said. "They're perfect." Hornfur whispered behind me. I nodded as I watched the tiny kits squirm and mewl. "Why wouldn't they be?" I said "They are going to make great warriors morninglily." I looked up at the queen. She smiled at me "Thank you starrypaw I hope they do." She sighed and closed her eyes. I looked at hornfur as brushed past me. He sat down next to morninglily. I yawned "Maybe I should get some sleep." I looked at hornfur and he blinked gratefully at me. I nodded my head and trotted out of the nursery. "Starrypaw?" I poked my head back inside the nursery. "Will you come and visit again tomorrow?" Morninglily asked. "If you want me to." I replied. "I would like that." She laid her head down and wrapped her tail protectively around her kits. I quietly padded out of the nursery an across the camp towards the den for the apprentices. Halfway there silverleaf yowled for the clan to gather. I sighed and padded over finding a spot next to sunwhisker and sitting down. Sunwhisker looked at me silently and scooted closer leaning into me. His fur smelled like the forest. I leaned into his fur almost falling asleep. "Were here because I think it is time for cloudpaw to become a full fledged medicine cat." Silverleaf yowled. She turned to cloudpaw "Cloudpaw do you promise to uphold the medicine cat code?" She asked. Cloudpaw nodded vigorously. "Then now your name shall be cloudpool." Silverleaf said. The clan chanted cloudpool's new name. Some went up to her and congratulated her others wandered back to their dens. I walked up to her tiredly. "Good job cloudpool." I said giving her a sleepy smile. "Thanks starrypaw but you should get some sleep now you've been through a lot."


	8. Chapter 8

"_Starrypaw." I looked around and saw I was under water. I couldn't tell which way was up or down. I held my breath as I panicked trying to swim to the surface. "Starrypaw." I heard a voice calling my name faintly. My lungs were burning. I swam more desperately trying to get some air. I couldn't take it anymore and I took a huge breath._ "Starrypaw stop moving I'm trying to sleep!" I jumped up and stood with my fur bristling. I was panting hard and looking around frantically. I didn't have any idea where I was. There was a movement and I turned to see skypaw getting up. "Starrypaw?" Skypaw asked. "Sh go back to sleep." "Are you okay?" "yes I'm fine just… go back to sleep." He nodded and did what he was told. I carefully padded outside letting the warm Greenleaf sun warm my long silver fur. "Ah starrypaw good morning." I turned to see an exhausted hornfur walking towards me. "Hornfur you look so tired!" I said. "I stayed up with the kits again last night." He replied sheepishly. "What about you?" he asked. I looked him confused. "You look like you haven't slept since the gathering." Maybe I'm training to hard!" I said cheerfully. I felt guilty about lying but I didn't want hornfur to worry about me. He narrowed his eyes at me. "Starrypaw talk to me." I sighed knowing I couldn't lie to hornfur. "You know the gathering a moon ago?" He nodded. "Well ever since then I've been having this weird nightmare." He cocked his head at me. "What's the nightmare?" He meowed questioningly. "It's the same every time. I'm floating in water not knowing where the surface is and a voice is calling my name. I try to hold my breath but eventually I take in a huge breath and that's when the dream stops." He watched me as I explained. His green eyes never wavered. "Maybe you can talk to silverleaf or cloudpool about it." He suggested. "Maybe…" I said. Silverleaf wasn't very social any more. Cloudpool usually took care of the clan now. And occasionly I would turn and see silverleaf staring at me like she was expecting something. "Talk to cloudpool maybe she determine it as a sign from starclan." Hornfur meowed. "Yeah I will but you have to promise me you'll get some sleep." I meowed looking over my shoulder at the medicine cat den. He sighed "Sure thing." He padded past me into the warriors den. While he was walking in sunwhisker walked past him out of the den. He saw me sitting there and trotted over. His fur gleamed as the dappled sun shone in the clearing between the cracks of trees in the canopy. "Good morning starrypaw." "morning." I yawned. "You look tired did you get enough sleep last night?" He asked looking at me with a worried frown. I licked my chest fur and stood up. "Yeah I'm fine!" I said cheerily. He looked me over for a moment and smiled. "Yeah ok." "So hows life as a warrior?" I asked sitting down. "It's kind of like being an apprentice only better." He said. "I don't have to take care of the elders or change the bedding." I nodded as I listened. "I really don't mind taking care of the elders actually." I mused. "Really I couldn't stand it cause brownear is such a big grouch." Sunwhisker mumbled. I purred with amusement. "What would he do if you did something wrong?" I asked. "He scowl at me and start complaining till my ears start to bleed." Sunwhisker chuckled. "Yeah he is like that but I think he does it to help guide apprentices…In his own way of showing it." I said looking at the entrance of the elders den. "Maybe I haven't thought of it like that." Sunwhisker meowed. My stomach rumbled and I flattened my ears and started to blush. "You want to grab a mouse or something?" Sunwhisker asked. "Um sure." I said bolting away. I quickly grabbed a mouse and turned towards the apprentice den. "Starrypaw!" I saw skypaw and flowerrpaw lounging by the boulder. I trotted towards them with the mouse dangling between my powerful jaws. My sleek long fur felt warm from sitting outside so long. I sat in between my two friends. I dropped the mouse and asked "you guys want some?" They looked at the mouse then at me. "I already ate." Skypaw said. "Im not hungry" flowerpaw chimed in. "Are you sure?" I asked cocking my head to the side. They nodded and I sat down. I took a bite of the mouse and skypaw asked "What are you going to do today?" I swallowed the bite of mouse. "Definitely not training hornfur has been pushing himself to much with training me and visiting his kits." "Oh hornfur must really love his kits." I nodded. Squirrelkit and dapplekit had grown a little so now when the stand on their paws they reach almost halfway up my leg. Squirrelkit had opened his eyes the other day and occasionally I see him pestering his sister to open her eyes. Whenever I visit I end up playing with him since he's to young to play with fernfoots kits yet. In a moon though blackkit, sugarkit, and leafkit will become apprentices leaving morninglilys kits the only kits in the nursery for four more moons. "Hello earth to starrypaw?" I blinked and looked at skypaw. "You've been staring at the nursery for a while are you okay?" Flowerpaw asked. "Yeah I'm fine." I mumbled taking another bite out of the mouse. "So then you'll be hunting today?" Skypaw asked. "Probably." I said slowly chewing the mouse meat. "Skypaw." We all looked up. "Your training with me today." Rockclaw said. "Yes rockclaw." Skypaw nodded. He stood up said goodbye and followed his mentor out of the camp. "Do want to go hunting with me flowerpaw?" I asked. "Okay I haven't seen how good you are at hunting yet." Flowerpaw teased. I swallowed my mouse and stood up. "Wait I have to talk to cloudpool stay here I'll be right back." I said running off to the medicine cat den. As I ran into the den I bumped into silverleaf carrying some leaves. "Hi silverleaf." I meowed. She stared at me and walked away towards the leaders den. I walked through the lichen and saw cloudpool bent over some herbs on the floor. "Cloudpool where is silverleaf going with those leaves?" I asked. "Oh hi starrypaw I didn't see you there. Silverleaf was taking some herbs to heal stripestars back pains." "Oh" I said. "Cloudpool can I talk to you?" "Yeah starrypaw whats wrong?" She asked looking from her pile of herbs. "Well I've been having this weird dream and hornfur said I should talk to you about it." Cloudpool looked at me intently. "What was the dream?" She asked. I explained my dream to her. When I finished she was nodding and rummaging through a different pile of herbs. "It's true then…She was right…wrong one." She was mumbling shifting through the herbs. "Cloudpool whats wrong?" I asked. "Nothing I have to talk to silverleaf about some herb problems." Cloudpool said sitting down and sighing. I leaned comfortingly against her flank. "Your under a lot of pressure now huh?" I asked. "Yes mousepaw got a cut one of fernfoots kits almost cut off their tail and patchpelt is getting sick not to mention I have to check how morninglily's kits are doing!" She wailed. "You will get better and learn how to handle the stress." I meowed encouragingly. "Silverleaf is barely even helping and she's the senior medicine cat!" Cloudpool meowed. "Don't worry it will get better." I meowed. "I think you're doing a great job." "I know." Cloudpool said lifting her head and walking over to the pile of herbs again. 'Instant recovery.' I thought. "So about my dream…" "Don't worry about it." Cloudpool said. "Okay.' I said sighing with relief. "I knew hornfur was being ridiculous." I walked out of the den. "Thanks cloudpaw!" Cloudpaw sighed. She turned to her herbs. She shuffled through them and stopped. "That's weird…" She said. "Were out of poison lily's."


	9. Chapter 9

I yawned and stretched as I woke from a good sleep for the first time in a moon. I didn't have the dream last night at all. It still bugs me though. Something about that dream seems to warn me about something. And the voice always seemed urgent when it was calling me like something was happening in a far away place and the voice needed help somewhere far away. A cat shifted next to me in their sleep. I recognized it as mousepaw one of the senior apprentices. She sat up and stared at me drowsily for a moment before lying down to go back to sleep. I silently padded out of the den and basked in the warm sunshine of Greenleaf. My long fur prickled as I noticed silverleaf walking out of the medicine cat den. She had been acting even more strange since I bumped into her yesterday outside of the medicine cat den. She looked at me gave me a curt nod and trotted towards the fresh kill pile. I flicked my ears and sat down to wash my paws. My curiosity piqued when my mother rushed out of the leaders den and towards tigereye. The two cats talked for a moment and walked quickly back to the leaders den. I twitched my ears in annoyance as they disappeared in the den. I didn't like not knowing things. I got up and padded towards the leaders den. As I reached the fern covering I heard coughing. I pushed the ferns aside and walked in. "Dad?" I asked. My heart lurched in my throat when I saw my father's condition. His fur was falling out in patches on his dull brown pelt. His eyes had lost their humor and shine. His frail body was racked with a coughing fit and there was a strong stench of vomit. My mother was stroking his back with her tail and tigereye was sadly watching his leader as he threw up in a pile of stale vomit next to his nest. "D-dad?" I asked again. I gagged as the scent of fresh vomit filled the small cave. "Starrypaw what are doing in here?" My mother asked softly. "I saw you an tigereye talking and walking really fast back here and I was curious and-" Before I could finish I ran out of the den and out of camp until I reached the stream that separated waterclans two islands. I ran straight to a clump of nettles and vomited into it. When I had finished I sat there staring at the pink fluid shaking. I hitched and threw up in the bush again for a while. I stood when I had finished and walked towards the stream. I sat on the edge staring at the water for a moment then swished my muzzle in the warm water. It felt cool against my face. I lifted my head and sat there as the water dripped off my chin. I felt a strong muscled flank lean comfortingly against me. I leaned on it and buried my face in a soft golden pelt. "Are you okay?" Sunwhisker asked. I only shook my head. "Tigereye sent me to find you." He explained. We sat there silently for a moment before he started to talk again. "Stripestar may be sick now but I'm sure he will get better." I didn't move or speak. "It's the kind of cat he is starrypaw. Besides he won't die and leave his family behind to join starclan." I looked up at him as he spoke. The sun's light reflected off the water making it glitter and shine as it wound it's way around a bend disappearing behind a clump of vegetation. Sunwhiskers blue eyes glittered as he watched the water flow past. "I know." I croaked. My throat hurt from throwing up so much. "You want to ask cloudpool about that throat?" Sunwhisker asked smiling at me. I nodded. I stood up on shaky legs. Sunwhisker stood next to me and helped me walk back to the camp. Halfway there I could walk by myself. I hung back as we approached the camp. He stopped as I slowed down. "Are you okay starrypaw?" He asked. I nodded and followed him through the tunnel. We walked straight to the medicine cat den. "Cloudpool?" I asked with a raspy voice. "No she's checking on the leader." Silverleaf said as she emerged out of her den. "Oh" I meowed. "But that voice sounds bad let me check it." She meowed as she padded up to me. "Open your mouth." She instructed. I did as she told as she peered in my mouth. Sunwhisker sat to the side watching as silverleaf inspected my throat. "It's a little raw." She stated as she walked over to the wall where the herbs were kept. She pawed inside a crack and pulled out a green leafy looking plant. I recognized it as horsetail. "Here chew this she said pushing the plant towards me. I did as I was told and almost spit the bitter plant back out if silverleaf wasn't watching me carefully. As I swallowed the herb cloudpool walked in. "How's my father?" I asked her worriedly. She shook her head. "It appears he has eaten some poison lily." "Poison lily?" Sunwhisker asked. "My father would never eat that!" I exclaimed indignantly. "He's the smartest cat I know!" "Yes I've had my suspisions" Silverleaf murmured. We all turned to her. "what do you mean?" Sunwhisker asked in an authoritive tone. "The other day I noticed we were out of poison lily." Silverleaf stated. "Yes I noticed it too." Cloudpool said seriously. "But who would want to hurt my dad?" I asked. "Yes but not many cats agree with stripestar being the leader of the clan." Sunwhisker replied. I looked at him. "Some cats have wanted his brother tigereye to be leader instead of stripestar but that happened a long time ago they would have gotten over it by now." He explained. "Why would anybody still want to hurt him though?" I repeated. "Who knows?" cloudpool meowed in defeat. "He's sleeping now though with littlefish watching over him just incase." Cloudpool explained. "Okay thank you cloudpool, silverleaf." I sighed. Sunwhisker stood up and followed me out of the den. "You probably have some warrior duties right?" I asked. He twitched his ears. "I haven't eaten yet would you like to share a fish?" My stomach rumbled at the mention of fish. He chuckled and walked towards the fresh kill pile. I followed him as he plucked a fish off the pile Laid down next to the freshkill pile. I sat next to him as we shared the fish. Before we finished the fish mossnose approached us. "Hey sunwhisker if your not to busy with starrypaw you want to go hunting?" She asked her whiskers twitching with amusment. Sunwhisker ignored her teasing tone and turned to me "You go ahead and finish the fish okay starrypaw?" "O-okay." I meowed aware of mossnose watching us intently. He got up and followed mossnose through the bramble tunnel. I watched as he left and sighed. 'I wonder why I feel so disappointed.' I thought. I gulped down the rest of the fish and let the sun warm my silver fur. I looked around watching the clan. A sunhigh patrol was organizing for the patrol while blackkit and his sisters played in the clearing outside of the nursery. This was the second day in a row that hornfur wasn't training me. He had skipped meal time yesterday to sleep and was sleeping in this morning. 'He must be so tired from staying with his kits' I thought. But I was worried he was skipping his warrior duties and my training for his kits instead. I stood up and walked over to the nursery. Thinking about squirrlekit and dapplekit made me want to visit them cause they are so cute. As I approached the den I heard tiny pawsteps scuffling around inside the nursery. Then two fluff balls shot out of the nursery and tackled me to the ground. "Starrypaw!" Squirrlekit exclaimed. "Hi starrypaw!" Dapplekit giggled. "How did you know it was me?" I asked still shocked from the tackle. "I recognized your scent." Dapplekit said shyly as she jumped off of me clumsily. "Yeah I could easily tell it was you!" Squirrlekit boasted not making any move to get off me. "Oh yeah?" I asked. I rolled over and gently swatted at him. He tried to duck but he stuck his rear end up and I clipped him making him tumble sideways. He immediately jumped back up and charged me. I sidestepped as he ran past me. I turned when I heard a thud and saw he tripped and landed face first in the dirt. "Are you okay squirrlekit?" I asked as I rushed over to the brown kit. He stood up and shook the dirt off of him. "Of course I'm okay you mouse brain I'm invincible!" I rolled my eyes and chuckled as the kit stood taller. "Don't be rude to starrypaw squirrlekit." Morninglily said as she padded out of the nursery. "It's getting warmer now." She commented as she settled down outside the opening to the nursery. "Hi morninglily." I said sitting down. I felt a tooth bite my tail. I winced and picked my tail up. A small paw batted at it. I smiled and flicked my tail from side to side as dapplekit tried to capture my tail. Squirrlekit yawned. "I'm bored now." He complained. "Then why don't you go by the elders den?" I suggested. "The elders?" Squirrlekit asked incredulously. "Yeah they tell some pretty good stories." I meowed. He flicked his tail in annoyance. "I used to talk to them all the time when I was a kit." I looked at morninglily. "I don't mind just don't be out for too long hornfur will wake up soon." I nodded and stood. "But sitting around listening to elders chit-chat sounds boring!" Squirrlekit complained. "It's better than nothing." I mewed. The two kits followed me as I led them to the elders den. "Hi everyone." I said as I approached the den entrance. Poppyleg, crookedtail, and brownear were sitting outside sharing tongues when I approached. "Is that waterstar?" A voice asked from inside the den. "No it's starrypaw!" Squirrlekit exclaimed. "And squirrlekit and dapplekit!" The ferns rustled and patchpelt came out of the den. "Starrypaw good to see you." "Yes we haven't seen you that much since you became an apprentice starrypaw." Poppyleg chimed in. "Is that hornfur training you too hard?" Brownear asked. "It's nice to see you guys too." I meowed. "These are hornfur's kits Squirrlekit and dapplekit." The elder's looked at the kits. Poppyleg smiled. "Well aren't they adorable?" she chuckled. "Look like trouble to me." Brownear grumbled. "Excuse me?" Squirrlekit exclaimed. "He's just trying ruffle your fur." I meowed calmly sitting down and curling my fluffy tail over my paws. "Could you guys tell us a story?" I asked. "Well finally! Brownear owes me a mouse!" Crookedtail exclaimed. I chuckled. We settled down as the elders squabbled about what story to tell us. Just when they were about to start I noticed hornfur walk out of the warriors den. I watched as he padded over. "Sorry guys but I'm going to have to steal starrypaw now we didn't train yesterday and I would like to catch her up." He meowed to the elders. "Well your busy as ever starrypaw." Brownear mumbled. "Okay good luck with your training." Poppyleg mewed cheerily. "Bye starrypaw!" Dapplekit and squirrlekit meowed to me as I followed my mentor. He nuzzled his kits affectionately and trotted towards the bramble tunnel. I followed him through the tunnel into the leafy green forest.


	10. Chapter 10

"_Starrypaw." I opened my eyes to see I was in the water dream again. "Who are you?" I called out. "Where am I?"I struggled in the water. "Don't worry you won't be harmed." The voice whispered. I slowly relaxed after a moment. A fog surrounded me and I felt my paws hit a grassy floor. I swung my head side to side trying to define a shape in the fog. A shadow appeared in front of me coming out of the fog. A cat with long silver fur and amber eyes padded out of the mist towards me. I would have thought I was looking at my reflection if I hadn't been sitting down. "hello starrypaw it's nice to finally meet you." I cocked my head to the side staring at her. "Excuse me?" I asked. "I'm waterstar." She said. "Uhm hi?"I said feeling awkward. 'First it's creepy silverleaf now I'm seeing dead cats in my dreams.' I thought sarcastically. "I'm a warrior in starclan not dead." She stated dryly. I recoiled sharply at her words. 'She can read minds!' I shouted in my mind. She scowled. "Do you want to talk or not?" She asked. "Truthfully, no." I meowed to her feeling exposed. "Your thoughts are spoken aloud in this kind of dream so that I know you won't lie to me. "Why on earth would I lie to the cat I owe my life to?" I asked. She looked surprised for a moment. "And why do you owe me your life?" She asked sitting in front of me. "Because you made waterclan." I responded as if it was so obvious a kit would know. "If you hadn't I would never have been born." "Hmm." She said. "So starrypaw how Is it in my clan?" "It's great!" I gushed. "I'm training with a cat named hornfur and I have lots of friends and I've been training really hard." "Really?" She mused. "That's good to hear." I wondered what she meant about that. "How's your father?" She asked. She had a lost look to her eyes when she asked about him. I looked at my paws. "He's been poisoned and is really sick now cloudpool and silverleaf are trying their best to heal him but he's getting worse." I looked up at waterstar. She was staring to her left into the fog with sad eyes. "Your father was my deputy before I died and he became leader." She said distantly. "Really?" I asked. "Yes." She said in a soft voice looking at me. "We were very close friends." "Oh…" I said sadly. "Will he be alright?" I asked urgently. "Is he going to survive?" Waterstar only shook her head. "I don't know but I will keep watching over you and the clan like I always have." She rested her muzzle on my head. "May starclan be with you starrypaw." She whispered. "Wait where are you going?" I said. Then the fog and waterstar faded leaving me in total blackness. "Waterstar? WATERSTAR!" I called. There was only silence. _"Starrypaw! Starrypaw!" I opened my eyes to see flowerpaw, skypaw, and sparklepaw were standing over me. "Huh?" I asked groggily. "Starrypaw you were calling out in your sleep!" Skypaw exclaimed. I stood up and shook a leaf off my pelt. "It was just a dream." I said walking out of the den. I breathed in the Greenleaf air. My muscles were sore from practicing training with hornfur all day yesterday. I walked stiffly towards my father's den. I thought about waterstars reaction when I told her about his condition. She seemed sadder than a close friend would but then again if any of my clan mates died I would be just as sad. I padded in the den to see cloudpool peering at my father. She turned when I walked in. "Is he alright?" I asked feeling sick as the scent of his poisoning overwhelmed my scent glands. "I just gave him some poppy seeds so he's sleeping but he is showing signs of recovery." She reported. "Really?" I asked sighing with relief. "Yes he is getting rid of the poison by throwing up but…" She frowned. "There's no telling how damaged his organs will be if he survives the poisoning, he might have to retire to the elders den." "What about his lives?" I asked in horror. "The poisoning has taken two of them and he's only got two left." She said dipping her head. My paws shook with anger as I watched my father's pelt move up and down in time to his breathing. "I swear…" I growled shakily. Cloudpool looked at me as I glared at my paws. "I'll kill whoever did this to him I'll make them pay…" I choked back a sob as hot tears streamed down my face. "Starrypaw…" Cloudpool trailed off as she watched me. I turned sharply a walked out of the den. "Tell me if his condition improves." I called over my shoulder. I padded into the clearing. Tigerclaw was organizing patrols and morninglilys kits were playing outside the nursery. They seemed to enjoy talking to the elders yesterday when I returned from training. I padded past them towards tigereye. He was talking to a group of cats but dismissed them when he noiticed me. "Starrypaw I…" He said as he trotted up to me. "I need you to go with the sunhigh patrol." He was panting like he had been running recently. I dipped my head to him and walked towards the fresh kill pile. I plucked a mouse from the pile and settled by the nursery. I chewed halfheartedly at the tangy flavored meat watching the kits tackle each other. "You'll never catch me lightstar!" Squirrlekit yowled as he ran away from his sister. Dapplekit leaped and landed on her brothers back. Squirrlekit tried to knock her off but landed flat on his belly. "Attack on waterclan!" He squealed. I looked around to see if any body would react. Only blackfur poked his head out of the warriors cave for a moment and scowled when he realized it was just the kits playing around. He turned and disappeared back in the warriors cave again. I gulped the last of the mouse down and stood licking my jaws. I stretched my front legs and looked up to see the patrol gathering. I trotted over and sat beside mossnose who was leading the patrol. Only mossnose and thundertail were there. We didn't move and I was wondering impatiently why in starclan we were waiting. The sunwhisker burst out of the warriors cave and bolted towards us. "Took you long enough." Thundertail said impatiently as he approached the group. I stood up as mossnose walked through the tunnel followed by thundertail grumbling to himself about proper timing. Sunwhisker brushed against my pelt as we walked through the tunnel together. I looked up at him. "Hi starrypaw." He purred. I purred with delight and nodded at him. "So sunwhisker where will we start?" Mossnose meowed her whiskers twitching with amusment. We'll start off towards the four rocks and make our way around the territory." He meowed. I looked at him surprised 'I thought mosenoss was leading the patrol.' I thought but shook the thought away when sunwhisker looked at me concerned. I noticed thundertail and mossnose padding ahead of us. "Well are we going to just sit here all day?" I asked indifferently. I stood and started to trot after them when sunwhiskers tail blocked me from moving any further. I looked at him curiously. He still had that look of concern. "Whats wrong?" I asked. "I just…" Some emotion flashed across his eyes and he turned away from me. "Never mind." He said. He turned and started to follow mossnose and thundertail. We walked over the streams leaving scent marks and checking for scents of other clans. When we reached the four rocks I could smell faint traces of the clans from the last gathering. I swam across the stream that surrounded the four rocks and trotted inside the clearing. A sickly sweet scent burned the insides of my nose as I padded into the clearing. I wrinkled my nose and shook my head. "Starrypaw?" I turned to see a tall silver short haired tom trotting towards me cautiously. His deep blue eyes stared at me intensely. A brown tortishell she-cat followed closely behind. "Shiningpaw! Smallpaw!" I exclaimed happily as I ran towards them. I stopped when I saw sunwhisker run in between us growling.


	11. Chapter 11

"Sunwhisker?" I asked. He glared at the two spiritclan cats with a look of pure hatred. I looked at him confused and then looked at shiningpaw and smallpaw. Shiningpaw was blocking smallpaw. His fur was lying flat as he calmly glared at sunwhisker. Smallpaw eye's were huge as she looked between sunwhisker and shiningpaw. "Sunwhisker what are you doing?" I asked pushing past him and approaching the two spiritclan cats. "Starrypaw stop those are spiritclan cats!" He exclaimed. By this time mossnose and thundertail had entered the clearing. "Spiritclan and waterclan have been enemies for ages starrypaw you have to understand sunwhiskers attitude." Thundertail explained. "But they won't hurt us." I meowed stiffly. "You don't know that." Sunwhisker growled. "You don't either!" I screeched. He flinched as if I clawed his tail. "Sorry guys we have to go." I meowed bitterly. "We understand starrypaw we'll see you at the next gathering." I nodded and watched them walk out of the clearing. I turned briskly and padded past sunwhisker without a word. "Starrypaw…" He meowed. I ignored him and kept walking towards the opening of the rock wall. I trotted after mossnose and thundertail who have already left to continue the patrol. We walked in an awkward silence for the rest of the patrol. On our way back to the camp I told them to go ahead and that I would hunt. They nodded and continued to camp. I sat in the quiet forest for a minute. A scuffle by a tree alerted my attention. I parted my jaws to catch the scent of prey. Instead of prey I scented something that froze me in my seat. Fox. I quivered with fear as the orange creature stepped out from behind the tree. My amber eyes widened as it approached me. I wanted to run and yowl and scream but fear had me rock steady in its grasp. I watched helplessly as it kept advancing and no one was nearby to save me this time. The fox was two tail lengths away now. I could feel its hot breath on my neck at it circled me and sniffed my fur. "Cat…" It said in a raspy voice. I squeaked in surprise. The fox stopped moving and I froze waiting for it to rip my head off and eat me or take me to it's yapping kits and then eat me. I whimpered as it stood in front of and stared at me. It's yellow eyes stared at me curiously. "Can you understand me?" It asked. I squeezed my eyes shut and nodded. It bent its head closer until its muzzle was inches from my face. "Please don't eat me." I whimpered quietly. The fox sat back on its haunches. "You cats and your stories." The fox chuckled good naturedly. I opened one of my eyes and peeked up at the fox. It was still looking at me curiously. "So… your not going to eat me?" I asked still quivering. "Its not everyday I meet a cat who can understand my language." The fox answered casually. "I won't kill you." It added when it noticed I was still shaking. I straightened up and looked at the fox trying not to shake. "Why?" I asked. "The last time I spoke to another fox was when I was a kit." It replied. "I've been living on this island ever since I left my mothers den." "Oh…" I meowed tentatively. "But a long time ago probably close to when you were born there was this one cat who looked a lot like you that could also understand me and we became good friends." It shook its head. "Your probably talking about waterstar." I murmured. It looked at me. "You smell like her too." "Because I'm an apprentice in her clan that she made when she first became leader." I explained. The fox cocked its head and stared at me with a confused expression. "Yes she did mention a clan but I'm afraid I don't remember much." "Well unlike foxes we cats live toghether in four separate groups or "clans" as we call them." I explained. "Oh yes I remember that." The fox said. "I can't imagine living all alone like you do." I meowed. The fox looked at me. "Do you even have a name?" I asked. "Yes my name is cleo." She said. "I'm starrypaw." I meowed feeling more confident talking to cleo. "Well its nice to meet you starrypaw." She said. I nodded and smiled. My ears pricked up as I heard a rustle in the bush to my left. I opened my jaws and scented a water vole. I dropped into a hunting crouch and stalked towards the bush. I slowly put my paw forward. I dashed into the bush and clamped my jaws on a furry pelt. I trotted back out of the bush towards cleo with the vole clamped in my jaws. Cleo watched the whole thing sitting neatly and upright with her fluffy tail wrapped around her paws. I dropped the vole and buried it in the ground to come and get it later. "Why are you burying that vole?" Cleo asked. "So I can hunt without having to drag it around." I responded. "Im supposed to be hunting for my clan right now." I trotted towards the direction of the third island of the lake. "Where are you going?" Cleo asked. "Fruit island." I meowed sniffing a leaf. "Most of the prey live on that island because of the food the twolegs plant there." I passed the owl tree heading north the opposite direction of camp. "Would you like me to help?" Cleo asked. "If you want…" I meowed as I tasted the air for prey. I scented a rabbit in the undergrowth in front of me. I shot forward into the brush and before the rabbit squeak I killed it with a swipe of my claws. "You seem to be a good hunter starrypaw." Cleo mumbled while carrying a squirrel. I looked up from burying the rabbit. "I'm still in training so I'm not as good as some of the warriors." I meowed blushing by her compliment. I watched her bury the squirrel and we both set off for fruit island. As we walked to the island cleo asked me about the clans and about the stuff we do and our positions. We reached the river that split the two islands apart. This one was bigger than the one that split home island from the island we used for training. I plunged into the river and paddled with my muscular forepaws. I pulled myself up on the other side of the smooth flowing river and shook the water off my pelt. I looked up to see cleo using the fallen tree bridge. She jumped gracefully to the ground once she reached the other end. We walked through a rolling field of golden stems. "This is wheat." Cleo explained to me. "The humans use them to cook bread." "What are humans?" I asked as the plains of golden wheat fell behind us and we were walking through vegetable patches. "I think you cats call them twolegs." She said as she sniffed a cabbage. "But they are really called humans." She looked at me and smiled. My ears twitched as I looked at her confused for a moment before smiling. I turned and started to walk again. "Do you have a certain place you want to visit?" Cleo asked. "Kind of…" I trailed off as I started walking up a hill. I heard cleo's soft paw steps as she followed me up the hill. I bounded towards the top feeling the breeze against my damp fur as I ran. The dirt ground turned into soft green grass as I reached the top of the hill. I was over looking a field of strawberry vines that curved and wrapped around white wooden tree-like things that protruded from the ground. The field was next to a cliff that faced the lake and on the edge of the lake far away was the great rock. The great rock was taller than anything I know. It's huge canyon like walls reached up and a roaring waterfall fell into the lake. "Wow I didn't know about this place." Cleo hummed as the soft breeze brushed through her dry pelt. "It's my secret place…" I said as I watched the lake glitter in the late afternoon sun. "I usually come here when I'm sad or confused no other cat knows about it because they are afraid of twolegs beating them with the sticks they always carry around." Cleo watched the waterfall crash down into the lake for a moment before she spoke. "Why did you show me this if it's your secret place?" She asked. "Because you're my friend and if you ever feel lonely or sad or confused you can come here and talk to me about it right?" I meowed as the cool breeze hit my long silver fur. "I'd like that starrypaw." Cleo murmured.


	12. Chapter 12

I trudged back to camp with my mouth full of prey me and cleo had caught. 'Wow I make friends with strange animals' I thought. 'First some flameclan and spiritclan apprentices then a fox what next.' I approached the owl tree and set the prey down to rest. Me and cleo had hunted around the twoleg farm but all we caught were two more rabbits. I let her have them since she helped. She had asked if I was sure and when I wouldn't take them she sighed and made a comment about how stubborn I was. When we reached the other side of the river she said that she had to get back to her den soon because her son was sick and she found him passed out by the stream that separated the training island and home island. So we split up to head home. I picked up the prey and trotted towards the camp. I heard a snap and twirled around to see sunwhisker walking through some under growth. "Need any help?" He asked. "Sure I said picking up the rabbit and tossing it to him. He picked it up gingerly with his jaws and started to walk next to me towards the camp. "Where were you hunting?" He asked his voice muffled by the rabbit. "The twoleg farms." I replied curtly. "Are you still mad at me?" He asked looking away from me. I sighed. "No I can't hold grudges well." He looked at me his blue eyes glittering. "That's makes me feel better." He brushed his pelt against mine. "So what have been doing?" I asked the gold tom. "Uh well…" He said flattening his ears as he blushed. "I was looking for you." I blushed and got a weird feeling in my stomach when he said that. He turned away from me embarrassed. "What's so embarrassing about that sunwhisker? I think that's really sweet." I meowed. I leaned into him as we walked. "I'm sorry…" I meowed as we walked. "Huh?" He asked looking at me. "I hurt your feelings during the patrol so I…" He nuzzled me affectionately. "Don't worry about it starrypaw I'm just glad your not mad at me anymore." He meowed happily. By the time we reached the camp it was late evening. We walked into the camp and dropped the prey into the freshkill pile. Other cats were sharing tongues and preparing for bed. As I walked in some cats looked up to see who it was and when they saw me they smiled. "Okay…That's not creepy." I meowed sarcastically. A movement on highledge caught my attention. I looked up to see my father being helped up the ledge by my mother and tigereye. Tigereye called a meeting for the clan when he saw me standing by the entrance next to sunwhisker. "We are going to appoint three new warriors in the clan!" He shouted. "Oh I wonder who they are." I meowed as me and sunwhisker sat in the clump of gathering cats. "Skypaw, flowerpaw, and starrypaw." My father meowed looking at me with pride shining in his eyes. I stumbled forward in shock as the three of us stepped towards the rock. "Skypaw do you promise to uphold the warrior code?" My father asked."Yes sir!" Skypaw exclaimed excitedly. "Then your new name shall be skyfur." He said as he jumped off the ledge and landed clumsily on the ground in front of skyfur. He placed his muzzle on skyfur's head and skyfur licked his shoulder respectively. "Flowerpaw do-" "I'm sorry leader but I have been thinking about it for awhile I don't want to be a warrior." Flowerpaw interrupted. My father looked at her in surprise and then understanding. "I would like permission to become cloudpool's apprentice." She meowed confidently to the leader. He smiled "Very well you shall be the new medicine cat apprentice." She bowed her head and stepped back to sit next to cloudpool. The white medicine cat was smiling at flowerpaw. 'Did they plan that?' I thought. "Starrypaw." My father called. I stepped forward on steady legs and the crowd of cats parted as I walked towards highledge. I stood in front of my father with a confident smile. He smiled at me. We were almost eye level now. I had grown full sized over the time I was a kit and apprentice. "Do you promise to uphold the warrior code?" He asked even though he already knew the answer. "Yes father." I meowed calmly even though on the inside I was getting ready to explode from happiness. "Then you will now be known as starrywater." He said as he rested his muzzle on my head. I licked his shoulder and walked calmly back towards sunwhisker. He smiled at me as I approached. "Congratulations starrywater." He whispered in my ear. I looked at him and blinked gratefully as my father ended the meeting and cats crowded around me and skyfur congratulating us. Afterwards the cats left for us to keep vigil. We sat side by side in the center of the clearing facing the bramble tunnel.


	13. Chapter 13

I was starting to dose off as the morning sun slowly rose over the treetops of the forest I loved so much. Skypaw sat alert watching the sun rise. He nudged me as my head drooped. I shot up and sat straight. I watched the sun rise as it made the sky brighter and bluer. The clouds turned from a golden color to their usual white. "You two can get some sleep now." We turned to see blackfur walking out of the warriors den. "And by the looks of it starrywater needs it." He meowed chuckling at my sleepy smile. We padded towards the warriors cave. The floor was hard and cold under my pads as we walked side by side through a tunnel. Then the tunnel expanded into a large cavern. There were nests full of sleeping cats on the right side of the cavern and a pool of clear water on the other side with a small spring trickling into it. "This place is big enough to fit five horses." Skyfur whispered. "Yeah but the ceiling is just a few tail lengths above us." I whispered. A Hole was positioned in the center of the ceiling letting the morning sun light up the cavern. I looked for an empty nest. "Starrypaw." I looked down to see sunwhisker staring up at me sleepily. "Are you done with your vigil?" "Yes." I whispered. "Sleep here." He meowed pointing at a nest next to him with his tail. "Thank you sunwhisker." I meowed softly. I laid as close to him as the nest would allow. He licked my ear and laid his head down to sleep. I rested my head and closed my eyes falling asleep._ I was looking down at the strawberry fields by the cliffs. Waterstar was sitting next to me as we watched the plants sway in the breeze. "So you're a warrior now starrywater." Waterstar murmured staring at me with a proud gleam in her eye. I nodded as I watched the waterfall. "So you've met cleo." She hummed. "She's a very nice fox I was scared of her at first but she seems to like cats." I meowed. Waterstar looked at me. "Because she promised me she wouldn't hurt any cat from my clan." "Why?" I asked. "She and I are very good friends." She meowed staring at me with affection. "Oh I didn't know that but she did mention you." She smiled at me. "So whats the deal with sunwhisker?" She asked giggling. I blushed. "Hey!" "Don't worry starrypaw it's perfectly natural to like someone." She chuckled. "I don't think it's like that actually." I meowed quietly looking down at the strawberries. "Starrywater." I looked at her. She nuzzled my cheek. "Don't worry starrywater you'll see eventually." She hummed. "I guess…" I meowed leaning into her flank letting her sweet scent envelope me._ I opened my eyes to feel something prodding my pelt. "Starrywater." A voice whispered. "Waterstar?" I asked. The prodding stopped. I started to sit up. I saw my mother runningstream standing over me. She was staring at me seriously. "Come with me." She commanded. I followed her in confusion. I saw all the nests were empty except one which was skyfur. "Mom?" I asked. She flinched. "Hurry." She lead me out of the warriors den and into the leaders den. "Good morning starrywater runningstream." My father meowed. "Stripestar tell her." Runningstream meowed. "He looked at her confused then sad understanding. "I knew I was going to have to tell her sooner or later." He said bowing his head sadly. "Tell me what?" I asked. "Sit." Runningstream commanded. I did as I was told. "Starrywater… How do I tell you?" He meowed. "You remember how runningstream took care of you?" He asked. I nodded. "Well she did that because I asked her to so runningstream isn't your real mother." He explained. "What!" I asked. I looked at runningstream and she nodded sadly. "Your mother was waterstar." She meowed. "She died giving birth to you." I turned to see silverleaf walking into the den. "Us three were the only ones who knew the rest of the camp thinks your runningstreams daughter." She explained. "But…" I meowed as I remembered waterstars behavior in my dreams. "So that's why she acted like that." I murmured. "Who?" My father asked. I wondered if I should tell them. "Waterstar." I meowed staring my father in the eyes. They widened in disbelief. "But…she's dead." He meowed. "She has been meeting me in my dreams." I explained. My father suddenly looked very sad. "Starrywater I loved her and I still do and I love you ,you know that right?" He meowed. "Yeah." I meowed sadly as I turned and walked out of the den. Outside the camp everyone was doing normal routines for the camp. I sniffled and ran out of camp. I ran harder than I had ever run before. I ran towards the one place I wanted to be. I splashed through the river and bolted past the field of wheat and vegetables. I ran up the hill and collapsed on the soft grass spot where me and waterstar were sitting in my dream. I sobbed 'Why didn't anyone tell me?' I thought. I cried for a while in that spot. I cried till I fell asleep. I didn't talk to waterstar in my dream this time. I didn't even dream.

"Starrywater!" Sunwhisker shouted. He had been hunting a rabbit when thudding paws scared it off. He had looked up to see who had caused him to lose his prey when he recognized starrywater's silver pelt bolting through the forest. She had ran right past him when he shouted her name. He knew something was wrong. He started to follow her scent. He was confused to where she was going. 'Her scent leads to the twoleg farming island.' He thought. He ran to the river that split the two islands apart and leaped in and swam to the other side. He walked past some golden stalks that flowed and bended as the breeze blew past them. He kept walking past them. "Starrywater?" He meowed. He passed some fields of vegetables. "Starrywater?" Nothing moved except the breeze stirring the plants and grass. He heard a small noise. "Starrywater? Where are you?" He meowed. A small sob came from the top of a nearby hill. He ran to the top of the hill and found starrywater laying on the top asleep. He walked towards her. He saw tears streaming down her perfect muzzle as she slept. He sat next to her and waited. It was evening when she finally woke up. Sunwhisker had sat by her side the whole time. "Mom?" she croaked. "Starrywater it's sunwhisker." Sunwhisker murmured gently to her helping her sit up. She leaned against his golden pelt and watched the sun sink below the horizon. Sunwhisker watched her carefully. Her long fur moved as a gentle small breeze blew by them. Starrywater was still crying and sunwhiskers heart wrenched from seeing her so sad. But he didn't know what to do. He leaned into her. Her bright honey amber colored eyes were now dull as she numbly watched the sun set. "She's not my mom." She meowed hoarsely. "Starrywater…" Sunwhisker meowed. "Waterstar died giving birth to me." She meowed as the information about her true mother sank in. "But I thought runningstream was your mother." Sunwhisker meowed in shock. "But…" She whispered. He looked at her pretty tear streaked face. She smiled a small smile. "I'm glad to know she still loves me." She meowed. That one small smile made sunwhisker get the feeling he always gets when she looks at him or walks by him or if he even smells her sweet scent. "There's lots of cats that love you starrywater." She looked at him with those piercing amber eyes. "Including me." He meowed quietly. Her eyes widened. Then she smiled at him. "I love you too sunwhisker." She meowed before fainting from exhaustion. "Starrywater!" Sunwhisker exclaimed. He smiled as the she-cat's chest rose and fell evenly to her breathing. He lay next to the cat he fell in love with ever since he first became an apprentice and dozed off with silver pelt shining in the midnight sky.


	14. Chapter 14

I opened my eyes sleepily. I couldn't tell where I was. I sat up a yawned. I felt grass on my pads and it was foggy. Something beside me moved and sunwhisker sat up. I leaned on him looking around. "We should head back to camp starrywater." He meowed licking his paw and cleaning his face with it. "Where are we?" I asked drowsily as I stood up. "Some twoleg strawberry field." He explained. "Oh…" I trailed off in thought. We padded down the hill in the direction of camp. "Sunwhisker i-" "You don't have to tell me until your ready and want to tell me starrywater." I smiled without looking at him. "My father and runningstream and silverleaf told me that waterstar is my real mother." I meowed. "She died giving birth to me." His rested his muzzle on my head. "I'm so sorry starrywater." He mumbled. "Don't worry about it sunwhisker it's not your fault or anything." He gazed at me as we walked. His blue eyes were deep and worried. I smiled at him. "Your such a worrisome furball." I meowed teasingly as I gave him a playful shove. He stumbled not expecting me to do that. "Hey!" He growled playfully. I ran ahead of him through the field of wheat. Once I was in the middle of the field I noticed sunwhisker wasn't behind be. I whirled around looking for him. Fear started to creep over me as I looked for him. "Sunwhisker?" I meowed loudly. A rustle in the wheat besides me alerted my attention. "Sunwhisker?" I asked quietly. I was suddenly tackled from the side by a cat. I yowled and looked up to see tigereye standing over me. I cocked my head in confusion. "Tigereye what are you doing here?" I asked. "Looking for you!" He screeched as he jumped off me. "The whole clan thinks you ran away and got eaten by a fox your mother is worried sick!" I flinched when shouted mother. He noticed this and stopped yelling at me. "You want to tell me why you ran away?" He asked. "My mother…my real mother is waterstar." I meowed bowing my head. I heard tigereye gag with shock. "W-what?" I looked at him with blazing eyes. "You heard me." I meowed calmly. He stared at me sadly for a moment then said "That's probably why you look so much like her." "Tigereye?" I asked. He stared at me. "Please take me home." He sighed. "That was my mission after all." Then spiderleg and sandear appeared out of the wheat with sunwhisker in between them bowing his head sheepishly. "Good you found him too." Tigereye meowed as the warriors approached. "We found him sniffing around in the wheat looking for something." Sandear reported. "Or someone…" Spiderleg meowed glancing at me. "We better take you two back to the camp before you go running off all lovey-dovey." Sandear teased as he bounded past us. "Hey!" I growled chasing after him. The fog had cleared as we reached camp and warriors were setting out for hunting patrols and border patrols. As we reached the entrance I saw skyfur talking to goldensun by the tunnel waiting for the rest of the patrol. Skyfur turned and spotted me. He ran towards my covering my face with friendly licks. "Great starclan starrywater you're a mess where have you been the whole clan is worried about you!" He exclaimed. "I just…needed time to think." I meowed. Understanding came across his face. He didn't ask anymore questions and followed me into camp. My fur prickled with uneasiness as I felt cats turn to look at me. They all looked confused and relieved and overjoyed as I padded into the clearing followed by skyfur and the patrol that went out to find me. A few cats surrounded me asking where I've been and how worried they were about me. Then they cleared the way for runningstream to come and cover me with licks. "Starrywater where have you been I was so worried!" She exclaimed. "Really?" I whispered angrily so only she could hear me. She stopped licking me and stared at me. "Your father is worried too." She meowed turning and leading me to the leaders den. As I padded inside my father looked up and sighed with relief. "Starrywater thank starclan your safe." He meowed. I sat and stared at him flicking my ear. "Where were you?" "With sunwhisker." I replied casually. They both sat there silent for a moment. "Did you…" My father asked. I nodded. "And I told tigereye too." I meowed. "That makes sense he is going to be leader soon." Stripestar meowed evenly. I stared at him in shock. "Don't say that your still going to be leader!" I exclaimed. "No he's not." Meowed a voice in the shadows by stripestar's bed. Silverleaf stepped out of the shadows. I didn't even notice the medicine cat tending to my father. "What do you mean?" I asked. Fresh tears started to well up in my eyes. "He's on his last life and doesn't look like he will survive." She meowed. I wiped the tears from my eyes. I was always a wreck when I cried and that wouldn't be helping anyone. My father started to cough as I wiped my muzzle. Runningstream led me out of the den. "Listen starrywater I didn't take care of because I was ordered." She meowed as exited the den. She sat down by the reeds that covered the entrance of the leaders den and for me to sit with her with her tail. I walked over but stayed standing. "Starrywater I love your father very much and I know he still loves your mother and I accept that." She meowed. I didn't say anything and she sighed. "I was patrolling with him when we saw silverleaf rushing past with a lot of moss in her mouth. He asked if it was time and she nodded so we followed her. When we had reached waterstar she was already dead and a small baby kit was crying out for food." I flinched when she talked about me. "I was pregnant at the time but when I gave birth none of the kits survived so I took care of you and no cat thought you weren't my kit." She meowed. "I actually thought you were my kit at times I raised as if I would have raised my kits and I love you very much." I bowed my head in thought letting everything she just told me sink in. I looked up and opens my mouth to speak but then I was interrupted by an agonized wail. I spun around and saw poppyleg dragging patchpelt's limp body out of the elders den. I ran over and as I got closer I noticed she was crying. A knot welled up in my throat as looked down at patchpelt. Her once pretty spotted pelt was dull and looked like it hadn't been cleaned in a while. Her eyes were closed and some blood was dripping out of her mouth. Cloudpool came rushing forward and examined patchpelt's lifeless body. I stumbled backwards. Runningstream rushed forward and had me lean on her. Cloudpool looked up at me with sad eyes. "It's the same symptoms as poison lily." She meowed her voice full of grief. "She was poisoned too?" I asked sitting down. "Who would want to poison patchpelt and my father?" I thought out loud. Then hornfur and dirtclaw ran out from the warriors cave and stopped at patchpelts limp body. Dirtclaw nuzzled her flank. 'That's right patchpelt was hornfur, goldensun, and dirtclaws mother.' I thought as I watched my old mentor stand quietly by his brother as he wept in his mothers pelt. I sat up and walked to the medicine cat den. As I emerged in the den I saw silverleaf tending to a cut on blackkits paw. Silverleaf nodded and hummed with approval as the kit boasted about how close he was to be an apprentice and that he would be a great warrior. "Silverleaf?" I meowed as I approached. The gray she-cat looked up from what she was doing. "Can I help you starrywater?" She asked. "Show me where you keep the herbs." I meowed to her. "Those herbs are only for medicine cats." She meowed looking at me seriously.


	15. Chapter 15

We stared at each other for a moment. "You're right I'm sorry silverleaf." I meowed as I started to back out of the den. She turned back to blackkit as he continued rambling unaware of the tension between me and the medicine cat. I walked out of the den to see goldensun cleaning patchpelts fur. I trotted beside her. "I'm sorry goldensun…" I meowed sadly to the blonde she-cat. "It's not your fault starrywater I know how close you were to the elders when you were a kit." She meowed. I bowed my head. "My fathers on his last life and he might not survive." I meowed. Goldensun looked at me. "Oh starrywater…" She meowed sadly. "I swear I'm never going to forgive whoever did this." I growled under my breath. "And once I find them I'll make them pay for killing cats I love." "Starrywater…" Goldensun whispered in shock. I whipped around and stormed out of the camp. I had walked for a few minutes when the scent of prey filled my nostrils. A squirrel's limp body was dropped in front of me. I looked up to see cleo the fox sitting on a low-hanging branch of an oak tree. "Go ahead and eat it you look like you've been through a lot since we last talked." She barked from the branch. I sighed and buried the squirrel. "I'll eat it later." I meowed as she jumped off the branch. "Fine." She said. "Patchpelt died this morning." I explained. She nodded. "And I found out waterstar is my real mother." I continued. She gasped. "Waterstar? Well that explains why you both look exactly alike." She said as she looked around. "And my father is sick." I meowed bitterly. "All because one cat is poisoning them with poison lily." "Poison lily?" She asked. I nodded. The smell of prey alerted my senses. I instinctively dropped into a crouch and inched towards the smell. I ignored everything around me and focused on hunting the prey. I crept closer until I could see a thrush pecking the ground. I inched forward all my thought focused on the thrush. I kept going till I was a tail length away from the unsuspecting prey. I rocked on my haunches preparing to strike when a rustle in a nettle patch next to it moved. Spooked the bird flew upwards to safety. I growled and launched after it but I was too late and the bird was to high for me to swipe with my paw. I growled and whirled around to see what had scared off my prey. "Cloudpool?" I asked in surprise as the white she-cat stumbled out of the nettle patch. I padded towards her in confusion. "What are you doing here?" I asked. "I'm gathering herbs mouse brain!" She spat as she licked her pelt brushing the stinging nettles of her fur. "The question is what are you doing here?" She asked. "I was hunting but you scared off my prey stumbling through those nettles like a blind kit!" I meowed defensivly. "Oh well don't cry over rotten prey starrywater!" She exclaimed. "Don't worry all the prey have probably been spooked off the island cause of your shouting!" I meowed. "What!" She shrieked. "You little- FOX!" "Hah that's the best you come up with?" I meowed teasingly. "No starrywater a fox is right behind you!" She exclaimed as her fur bristled and she backed away from me. I turned to see cleo staring at us like we were annoying ticks on her pelt. "What cleo?" I asked. "She's cool cloudpool don't freak out." She looked at me with a What-is-wrong-with-you-that's-a-fucking-fox! look. "What?" I asked. "You know this fox starrywater?" She asked staring at cleo wildly. "Of course this is my friend cleo." I meowed as if it were obvious. "I will never fully understand cats." Cleo sighed. "It made a noise!" Cloudpool meowed as she puffed out her fur even more. "You couldn't understand her?" I asked confused. "Not all cats understand my language starrywater." Cleo explained to me. "Really?" I asked her. "Hey why are you speaking to it!" Cloudpool exclaimed. "Because that's the polite thing to do when someone speaks to you cloudpool." I meowed as if I was speaking to a new-born kit. She scowled at me. "Sorry." I mewed sarcastically. "I can understand her language for some reason." I meowed. Slowly cloudpool let her fur lie flat. "And she won't eat me?" She asked taking a tentative step forward. "No she promised waterstar she wouldn't harm any cat from our clan." I meowed. "Right then. Cleo this is cloudpool, cloudpool meet cleo." I meowed. Cleo nodded to cloudpool. "Hello." Cloudpool mewed nervously. "So what herbs were you looking for?" I asked. "I was looking for more poison lily because spiderleg has a stuffed nose." Cloudpool meowed still watching cleo warily. "I want to help!" I meowed suddenly. "Starrywater I know you." Cloudpool meowed. "You just want to know what poison lily looks like." "So?" I asked. "Nothing come on." Cloudpool meowed. She padded the way which I had come from hunt the thrush. She disappeared in the undergrowth with me and cleo right behind her. She led us through the forest for a moment before stopping in front of a plant as tall as cleo. "Here it is." Cloudpool meowed. I looked at the plant confused. "No one knows why its called poison lily." Cloudpool explained when she saw my expression. I leaned in closer to have a better look and froze as soon as I saw the leaves. "Cloudpool?" I asked. She looked at me. "What part of the tree do you use?" I asked. "The leaves." She meowed cautiously. "And what part of the tree is the most poisonous?" I asked. "The leaves… what are you getting at starrywater?" She asked. "Did you see the herbs silverleaf had taken to the leaders den when my father was having backpains." I meowed staring at the leaves in horror. Cloudpool gasped. "But silverleaf is a medicine cat she wouldn't…" "That explains her behavior…" I mumbled out loud. "So your medicine cat poisoned your father?" Cleo asked in shock. "Yes I know she poisoned my father but I don't have any proof if she poisoned patchpelt." I meowed as I whirled around and headed straight towards camp. "Silverleaf!" I shouted as I ran into the clearing. Cats in the clearing looked up alarmed by my outburst. "Get out here now!" I commanded. "What's wrong starrywater?" Silverleaf asked as she padded out of the warriors cave. "Cloudpool check the warriors cave." I meowed. The white cat nodded and bolted towards the den. "Is there something wrong starrywater." She meowed as she stared at me. Her green eyes showed suspicion and wonder as I glared at her. "You're the medicine cat…" I growled. "Yes why?" She meowed. "Your supposed to take care of the cats in our clan." I growled menacingly. By this time most of the clan had gathered to watch even my father was outside his den watching with worried eyes. "You poisoned the clan leader, MY FATHER!" I screeched at the she-cat. Silverleaf padded towards me. I noticed her unsheathing her claws. "It's the smart ones like you I really don't like." She meowed evilly before she lunged. "Pray to starclan warrior!" She yowled. I skirted to the side as she landed where I was standing. I rocked on my hind-legs and leaped on her back. I grabbed the back of her neck in a death grip. The medicine cat shook me off and jumped for me with her claws outstretched. I couldn't move in time. I squeezed my eyes shut waiting for her sharp claws to rake against my fur. I heard a hiss and opened my eyes to see sunwhisker standing in front of me with blood dripping from his shoulder. His face was twisted in pain. "Sunwhisker?" I meowed in a small voice. He turned his head and smiled at me. "Are you okay starrywater?" He asked. Silverleaf was standing in front of him with a paw dripping in blood. She was staring at him in shock. Then she smiled an evil and insane smile. "Your stupid to protect her sunwhisker." She meowed with a crazy look in her eye. "She's not even supposed to be alive." She turned to me and her smile got wider. "I did kill patchpelt but she was only a test to see how strong poison lily really is then when I saw how sick she was getting I plotted my revenge." She meowed. "Stripestar was an idiot to love your mother. I showed my loyalty and heart to him and he rejected me." She swerved her head and glared at my father. "He said he was in love with someone else." "So you did this because of jealousy!" I growled at her. "I have only killed three cats starrywater that isn't so bad compared to how many a warrior will kill in a lifetime." She meowed. "Their live were just little things compared to how great my revenge would be." "You killed our mother!" Goldensun suddenly yowled as she tried to attack the medicine cat. Her two brothers held her back as she struggled. They glared at her with pure hatred. Silverleaf ignored them and stared at me. "I killed patchpelt with poison lily, your father is going to die because of me…" She meowed as if trying to remember the last one. "And I killed your mother." The whole camp froze. I stared at silverleaf in horror then quickly glared at her with hatred and rage. I leaped at her yowling. I swiped at her but she avoided me. "You killed her!" I screamed tears streaming down my muzzle. Sunwhisker held me back as I tried to swipe my claws down her throat. I broke down and cried leaning on sunwhisker for support. "She killed waterstar." I sobbed. Sunwhisker licked my head affectionately. Spiderleg and thundertail started to inch towards silverleaf growling and snarling at her. Silverleaf laughed manically. "You petty little warriors can't hurt me!" "Shutup traitor!" Rockclaw growled at her. "Stripestar what should we do with her." Graywhisker meowed with a calm but angry glare at silverleaf. "Don't bother stripestar dear." Silverleaf mocked the leader. She suddenly turned serious. "I'm dying anyway." Cloudpool trotted out of the warriors cave. "She's telling the truth." The white she-cat meowed. "She is also infected with poison lily." "So what are you going to do about it?" Silverleaf meowed. Everyone was quiet waiting for stripestars answer. "Exile her." Stripestar meowed. "You are to never set paw on waterclan's islands ever again." "What!" Goldensun exclaimed her fur bristling. "Why don't we kill her she's dying anyway!" "Because waterclan doesn't kill in cold blood." Hornfur meowed quietly to his sister. I felt something brush against my paw. I looked down to see squirrelkit and dapplekit stareing at me with big scared eyes. I wrapped my fluffy tail around them and let them snuggle into my long silver pelt. "A patrol will escort you to highrocks." Stripestar meowed calmly. "Spiderleg, thundertail, and starrywater will be the cats in the patrol." I nodded wiping my tears away with my paw. I gave squirrelkit and dapplekit an affectionate lick on the head and stood to join the patrol. "Starrywater…" Sunwhisker meowed. "You should have that looked at sunwhisker." I meowed as I noticed the blood had dried on his shoulder. I licked his shoulder cleaning the wound. "Thank you sunwhisker." I whispered before running to the bramble tunnel to join the patrol.


	16. Chapter 16end

We walked in silence to highrocks. Silverleaf smiled as they came into view as we swam across the river that separated our island from the mainland. As we set paw on the mainland silverleaf spoke. "Well then I guess I'll be taking my leave here." "Don't you ever come back you traitor!" Thundertail snarled as the she-cat. "Don't worry I won't come back to you flea bitten mouse dungs." She meowed with an ugly sneer. "What?" He shrieked getting ready to pounce. I blocked his path with my tail and gave him a warning look. "Silverleaf." I meowed as I turned my head to look back at her. "We leave you here to go back tour clan, if any waterclan warriors find you in our islands or lake they will have permission to kill you." She cackled wildly at my threat. "Woah who made you clan leader?" She taunted. I gave her a cool glare and didn't say anything. "See ya starrywater." She meowed as she turned around. "Ever since you were born I thought I hated waterclan with every fiber of my being but it turns out I really hate you." She hissed. I watched as she trotted off into snowclan territory. I waited till she disappeared over the horizon then turned and started to wad through the river back into waterclan territory. The sun was a blazing ball of yellow fire over the lake as it set casting colorful light across the sky. I listened to the sound of the lake as it lapped gently against the island beach. As we approached the beach I saw a silver ghostly shape weave through the trees of the forest and the scent of waterstar filled my scent glands. It disappeared as quickly as it appeared but the scent still lingered. I breathed deeply letting her scent and the smell of the forest envelope me. I padded onto the beach and shook the water off my pelt. I turned to see thundertail and spiderleg shaking off their pelts. "You know starrywater back in camp I was wondering about what you said…" Spiderleg murmured. "Yeah." I sighed. "I only figured it out yesterday but waterstar is my true mother." They watched me quietly for a moment. "Now I see where your ambition to become leader comes from." Thundertail smiled. "Huh?" I meowed confused. "The whole clan knows you want to be leader starrywater." Spiderleg meowed as he trotted towards the forest. "H-hey wait!" I called after him as I chased him into the forest with thundertail following closely behind chuckling

**xXxXx****END****xXxXx **


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